Bill Belichick Offers Assessment Of Drake Maye Selection By Patriots
The New England Patriots made their long-awaited decision, selecting North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye with the third overall pick in Thursday night’s 2024 NFL Draft.
Maye became New England’s newest franchise quarterback after fellow signal-callers Caleb Williams (USC) and Jayden Daniels (LSU) were picked first and second by the Chicago Bears and Washington Commanders, respectively. Maye was thrown in the top-5 prospect bunch in the days leading up to draft night, linked to New England as the organization’s presumed choice once the clock began ticking in Detriot.
Now with the key to Foxborough in Maye’s hands, ex-Patriots head coach Bill Belichick shared his opinion of the 21-year-old during his appearance on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show” draft coverage.
“A very talented kid. Good size, runs well, has a good arm. He just hasn’t played very much,” Belichick explained. “He really doesn’t have a lot of experience and he makes some big plays.”
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Belichick added: “He’s kind of quick to bail out of the pocket and he’s gonna have to hang in there a little bit longer to find those receivers. … This is a kid that can make all the throws. He just needs to be more consistent.”
During his two seasons as UNC’s starting quarterback, Maye earned ACC Player of the Year honors in 2022 and finished fifth in passing yards (8,018) and fourth in passing touchdowns (63) in Tar Heels history.
While viewed as an elite play-making prospect fresh out of college, Belichick shared one primary area that he believes, at times, holds Maye back.
“His footwork needs a lot of work,” Belichick noted when analyzing Maye’s college film. “… Too much hopping around. Just step up and throw.”
There’s no question that the pressure is on for Maye, who will be officially introduced to the Patriots on Friday. Maye slides in and replaces Mac Jones, who New England traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a sixth-round pick. As Jones joins the pile of failed quarterback experiments that have undergone the wringer of the post-Tom Brady nightmare, Maye will be tasked with alleviating the darkness and leading the franchise to a brighter future.
The Patriots finished 4-13, dead last in the AFC East last season.