2024 NFL Draft grades: How Patriots taking Drake Maye with No. 3 pick could be the QB solution post-Tom Brady

The New England Patriots have selected UNC quarterback Drake Maye with the No. 3 pick at the 2024 NFL Draft. Maye arrives to a Patriots organization that has undergone some seismic changes this offseason. After more than two decades, New England parted ways with Bill Belichick and has since installed Jerod Mayo as the organization’s newest head coach and Eliot Wolf as the de facto general manager. With former first-rounder Mac Jones also traded to Jacksonville, Maye now slots in as the new hope for a Patriots team that is still searching for a viable replacement for Tom Brady. 

Maye is the prototypical size for an NFL-caliber quarterback, coming in at 6-foot-4, 230 pounds. The 21-year-old also put together some strong tape throughout his collegiate career for the Tar Heels. In 2022, Maye won ACC Player of the Year honors after throwing for 4,321 yards and 38 touchdowns. While his totals last season didn’t reach the heights from his prior campaign, Maye still threw for 3,608 yards and 24 touchdowns, while also adding 449 yards and 9 touchdowns on the ground. 

Maye will be inserted into an offense run by new offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, who may emphasize a play-action scheme that could roll the young quarterback out on bootlegs and utilize RPOs. In terms of the talent around him, Maye will have Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson to lean on in the backfield, while tight end Hunter Henry could prove to be a trusted option in the passing attack along with wideouts Kendrick Bourne, DeMario Douglas, and free agent signee K.J. Osborn. 

Here’s what the Patriots are getting in Maye, including his scouting report, pro comparison, career accolades, fantasy fit and overall NFL outlook.

“He might need some time on the bench, but he has the talent to develop into a good starting quarterback in this league. He just needs to fine tune a few mechanical things. The Patriots had to get a quarterback. ” — Pete Prisco

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Analysis to come

Dynasty spin

Analysis to come

Drake Maye NFL Draft prospect profile

• Age as of Week 1: 22 years old
• Height: 6-foot-4
• Weight: 223 pounds
• Hand size: 9 1/8 inches

Comparable body type: Alex Smith

CBS Sports prospect ranking

Position: No. 2 QB | Overall: No. 5 | Rating: 93.03 (All-Pro)

NFL comparison: Alex Smith

Any comparisons to Josh Allen or Justin Herbert are pie-in-the-sky. Could Maye get there? Perhaps. But Herbert was a more polished passer as a prospect and Allen was and is bigger and stronger. I think Alex Smith is much closer to who Maye is, especially if we compare them as prospects. Smith worked well in a spread-concept offense, read defenses well, was mobile, didn’t rock the boat with aggressive throws and had a strong arm but not a cannon. Smith was probably a little more accurate but Maye could match or be better there in time. Smith also had a nice, long NFL career, which Maye should have as well — and potentially be much more productive than Smith was.

Scouting report

Drake Maye is a tall pocket passer with some athletic juice. He has a live arm with a compact release. He drives the football with ease and throws a gorgeous spiral with high regularity. His accuracy to all levels is very good, but there are a few seemingly uncharacteristic misses deep. His misses are typically low/behind. He was utilized in the designed run game in college, but it will be somewhat of a stretch to see him succeed doing that in the NFL. He has a flair for making plays on the run and can be a useful, Mahomes-like scrambler. The natural playmaker gene is there, as he rarely gives up on a play. He wants to rip the vertical shot down the seam/numbers. He truly can make every throw, and his arm talent borders on elite. His high-arcing touch is good, not amazing. He can make impressive throws with defenders draped on him. His pocket presence is solid, but sometimes awkward when navigating. He has lots of experience reading the entire field. Overall, he has a great blend of pocket passing, arm talent, accuracy, and athleticism. He’s a very impressive QB prospect for the modern-day NFL.

Accolades

• 2022: ACC Player of the Year (First in UNC since Lawrence Taylor in 1980)
• Only FBS player with 7,000+ pass yards and 1,000+ rush yards in past two seasons

Strengths

• Arm strength is fantastic
• Full-field reader
• Big frame with plus athleticism to scramble and elude rushers inside the pocket

Weaknesses

• Occasional miss low/behind his WR
• At times awkward when attempting to navigate the pocket
• In some instances will try to do too much when things break down

College stats breakdown

CBS Sports fantasy takes an in-depth look at Drake Maye as a draft prospect.