Drake Maye

The former Tar Heel tied a bow on his collegiate career with 62 passing TDs and 16 interceptions. Even after taking a slight step backward in 2023 compared to his elite sophomore campaign, Drake Maye didn't wait very long to hear his name called with scouts comparing his outlook to franchise QBs like Justin Herbert and Josh Allen. The Patriots selected him 3rd overall.
In Maye's first year as a starter at UNC (2022) at 20 years of age, he finished with a top-5 PFF passing grade in the nation while leading his team in rushing yards. He averaged nearly 56 yards per game on the ground through his 2 years as a starter. He has a top-tier ceiling as an NFL quarterback and will ask to carry the load when he draws the staring nod in New England, amid a lackluster supporting cast.

Maye is a deep-ball sniper. His arm strength consistently shows up in his film. His downfield prowess is one of his shining attributes, as he has ranked in the top 12 in deep ball-adjusted completion rate in each of the last two seasons. The deep ball velocity is palpable and easy as the ball jumps out of his hand. Maye also displays good touch and the ability to toss a precise change up in the short and intermediate when it's called for. Maye has a pretty good pocket presence. Maye moves through progressions well overall, but he does seem a tick-late on some reps. It's not a constant problem as he gets through reads one and two with regularity, but it's more rare to see him progress to his third option or a check-down unless they are earlier in the progression. He will stand tall against pressure to deliver strikes. Maye offers some off-script play-making ability, but he can get out over his skis in this realm at times. It's not a consistent theme, but he will bail the occasional clean pocket. He does offer the ability to be utilized on bootlegs and on the move, whether scripted or if he's working through a broken play. Once he's in scramble mode, he tends to lock onto one option while maneuvering through the noise. He needs to improve at keeping his eyes downfield in improv mode and continue to utilize the entire field as his canvas. Maye can get the ball out quickly for quick hitters, but his delivery can get long at times. He'll need to clean that up more in the NFL, with the game speeding up. Dynasty Outlook: Drake Maye lands in what appears to be a less-than-ideal situation. In 2024, he'll be operating behind an offensive line that ranked 29th in pass-blocking grade (per PFF) while tossing the rock to a pass-catching depth chart that features Kendrick Bourne, Demario Douglas, K.J. Osborn, Juju Smith-Schuster, Hunter Henry, Austin Hooper, and Tyquan Thornton. Yikes. Big time YIKES! The good thing for Maye is that by the time he takes over as the starter, things could be better. With Jacoby Brissett on the roster, we could see Maye sit for a few games (maybe his entire rookie season). Even if Maye does start Week 1, we could see him protected inside of a run-heavy offense. During offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt's tenure in Cleveland, he ranked 15th in neutral pace with the sixth-highest neutral rushing rate. Maye's possible ceiling in the NFL and in fantasy remains intact long-term, but don't expect him to come out of the gate posting gaudy stat lines or operating in a pass-first scheme. Maye is still in play inside the top eight rookie picks in Superflex formats and the top 12-15 selections in 1QB leagues.