Drake Maye Starting to Show Flashes in Preseason

The New England Patriots are banking on Drake Maye to make a significant impact this season. With the challenge of replacing former first-round pick Mac Jones and building a quarterback under a first-year head coach, there’s a lot riding on Maye’s shoulders.

Jerod Mayo faces a tough task ahead with one of the NFL’s weakest skill position groups. However, Maye’s performance in Thursday night’s game provided a glimmer of hope.

Drafted third overall in April, Maye isn’t under the shadow of being the next Tom Brady, but he does aim to remind Patriots fans of better days at quarterback. During Thursday’s game, Maye showcased why he was a top pick with a pinpoint accurate pass in the third quarter, demonstrating the potential that made him a high draft selection.

At the beginning of training camp, there were concerns about Maye’s performance, with some suggesting that sixth-round pick Joe Milton from Tennessee might be outperforming him. However, Maye’s display on Thursday moved him closer to securing the starting role. He completed 54.6% of his passes for 57 yards, a figure that needs to improve significantly. His completion percentage over the first two preseason games stands at 57.1%, still below the level required to be considered a solid starter.

In Thursday’s 14-13 loss to the Eagles, Maye led the Patriots in passing. Currently, he is projected to be the backup to Jacoby Brissett, ahead of Bailey Zappe and Milton.

Maye’s college career at North Carolina was impressive, with 8,018 passing yards and a 63.9% completion rate over three seasons. He led the ACC in passing in both 2022 and 2023, throwing for over 4,300 yards in his final season and rushing for 698 yards in 2022, ranking eighth in the ACC.

Brissett, the expected starter, was a third-round pick by the Patriots in 2016 before moving on to the Colts and various teams before returning to New England. Over his career, he has completed 61.3% of his passes, amassed over 10,000 yards, 51 touchdowns, and 23 interceptions. Brissett has started 49 games, with his most notable season being 2017, when he started 15 games for the Colts.

For Maye to become the starter, he will need to raise his game significantly, though it’s unlikely he’ll be ready in time for the season opener. Given the challenges facing the Patriots’ skill positions, Brissett’s veteran presence might be the better choice to start the season, providing leadership and stability. Maye will need to raise his completion percentage to at least Brissett’s career average, if not higher, to be considered for the starting role, barring any injuries.