Drake Maye spent three years at North Carolina, started for two of them, and left as one of the most productive quarterbacks in school history. New England took him third overall in 2024. Two seasons later he was a second team All-Pro.
| Season | Comp-Att | Yards | TD-INT | Rushing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 342-517 (66.2%) | 4,321 | 38-7 | 698 yds, 7 TD |
| 2023 | 269-425 (63.3%) | 3,608 | 24-9 | 449 yds, 9 TD |
| Career | 26 starts | 8,018 | 63-16 | 17-9 as a starter |
The career line includes his 2021 appearances as a backup. His two seasons as the starter produced 7,929 passing yards and 62 touchdowns.
The 2022 Season
Maye’s breakout was immediate once he got the job. His 4,321 passing yards set a North Carolina school record, and he added 698 yards and seven scores on the ground. He became just the sixth quarterback since 2010 to post 4,000 passing yards, 35 passing touchdowns, 650 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns in the same season, joining Kyler Murray, Deshaun Watson, Marcus Mariota, Johnny Manziel and Robert Griffin III.
He was named ACC Player of the Year and ACC Rookie of the Year, won the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year award, made first team All-ACC and led the Tar Heels to the ACC Championship Game and the Holiday Bowl.
The 2023 Season
His numbers came down, largely because his top two receivers, Josh Downs and Antoine Green, had left for the NFL. He still threw for 3,608 yards and 24 touchdowns, topped 300 passing yards five times, and ran for nine scores while leading the nation’s 19th ranked rushing offense. He was a Manning Award finalist and a second team All-ACC pick, and declared for the draft after his redshirt sophomore season.
He finished fifth in passing yards and fourth in passing touchdowns in North Carolina history.
The 2024 NFL Draft
New England stayed at No. 3 and took him, behind only Caleb Williams to the Bears and Jayden Daniels to the Commanders. He measured 6-foot-4 and 223 pounds, and scouts liked the arm strength, the size for New England weather, and his willingness to stand in against pressure. The knock was a gunslinger streak that put the ball in danger.
The Patriots had gone 4-13 in 2023 and had not solved quarterback since Tom Brady, with Cam Newton and Mac Jones both failing to stick.
What He Has Done in the NFL
Maye opened his rookie year behind Jacoby Brissett but was starting by Week 3. He threw for 2,276 yards with 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions on a team that went 4-13 again, and was named a Pro Bowl replacement.
Year two was the leap. Under Mike Vrabel he threw for 4,394 yards and 31 touchdowns, led the NFL in both passer rating and completion percentage, won the Bert Bell Award, made second team All-Pro and took New England to 14-3 and the Super Bowl. Through two seasons he has completed 69.8 percent of his passes for 6,670 yards with 46 touchdowns and 18 interceptions at a 103.1 rating.
Super Bowl LX was the low point. Seattle sacked him six times and intercepted him twice in a 29-13 loss. Wednesday is the rematch.
Background
Maye was born August 30, 2002, in Huntersville, North Carolina, and played at Myers Park in Charlotte. He is the youngest of four brothers. The oldest, Luke, won a national championship with the North Carolina basketball team.
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The Bottom Line
Two years as a college starter, 26 games, and a school record season in 2022 got him drafted third. Two NFL seasons later he is an All-Pro with a Super Bowl loss to avenge.