New England Patriots
“Size, athleticism, accuracy, playmaking upside through the roof, poise and toughness,” an NFL coordinator said of Maye.
Drake Maye Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe
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After entering last season unranked on ESPN’s list of the NFL’s top-10 quarterbacks, Drake Maye has ascended to No. 8 according to the latest rankings.
Maye finished second in the MVP voting this past season, but there are four players who have won the award ahead of him on the list: Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, and Matthew Stafford.
Joe Burrow, Dak Prescott, and Justin Hebert also were ranked ahead of Maye.
“He’s really talented, but I need to see more,” a veteran NFC defensive coach told ESPN. “Other quarterbacks on this list have proven it over time, and he’s got to keep doing it.”
Maye played himself into the “fringes” of the elite quarterback discussion last, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wrote. He led the league in quarterback rating, yards per completion, and completion percentage.
He and Tony Romo are the only players to lead the league in all three of those categories since Tom Brady did it in 2007.
Maye also showed that he is a dual threat, rushing for 450 yards on 103 carries and extending plays with his legs. Stefon Diggs was New England’s lone 1,000 yard receiver last season.
“Size, athleticism, accuracy, playmaking upside through the roof, poise and toughness,” an NFL coordinator said of Maye. “He had zero weapons and a shaky OL, and made it all work.”
Maye’s play helped the Patriots jump from 4-13 in 2024 to a 14-3 regular-season record and a Super Bowl berth. The Patriots lost 29-13 to Seattle.
The 23-year-old quarterback made a big leap last year from where he was during his regular season, helping to position the Patriots as contenders in the AFC.
“In 2024, multiple teams wanted to trade up in the draft for Maye, the No. 3 pick that year,” Fowler wrote. “New England smartly kept the pick — and it now has a long-term solution at the game’s most important position.”
Khari A. Thompson
Khari Thompson covers professional sports for Boston.com. Before joining the team in 2022, Khari covered college football for The Clarion Ledger in Jackson, Miss.
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