Drake Maye will be tough to pass on if he's there at 3. He just will be. For numerous reasons. You could throw a huge resource at the most important position in sports. Coming off a failed top 15 pick with Mac. Someone who imo was a 2nd round value. Maye is worth a 1st. This will automatically get the fanbase fired up going into next year. New HC, OC and QB. That's 3 years of security and 3 yeas to get things right. Maye is a good looking kid with a 6'4 ish/230 frame. Dad played QB at UNC and his brother played basketball. He has NFL arm talent, mobility and can work all 3 levels of the field. Plus athleticism. He's got a good work ethic from everything I've read and heard. He seems to have what you want on and off the field.
Maye has an NFL arm with strength, velocity, touch and placement. One thing that stands out of Maye is that he can be a playmaker in the passing game with a body on him, throwing off platform with someone in his face. When things aren't perfect or even "good" around him. Hes able to hit 50-55 with no hop or anything noticeable in his delivery. Tight windows. Far hash to boundary. Arm angles. Passing with tempo and ability to change up from a fast ball. Layering and feathering. His arm is legit. Flexible, strong arm that comes through when the chips are down. The NFL is all about working under difficult conditions, working under certain, specific situations. He's able to deliver a well placed ball with touch and strength in bad conditions. Something you have to think about playing in NE weathe6'4 230 and will run a 4.60 He's a weapon running the ball that will have to be dialed back but he's an absolute weapon in the rushing game. There's a lot you can do here. Designed runs included but more importantly he's got plus instincts combined with athleticism and mobility for the position. This is key. The kid can create. Not only can he pick up yards defenses inevitably give up but he out run, make you miss or pick up tough yards. A defense has to account for him on every play!Out of the top tier he's the best working within or out of structure. Working short intermediate and deep. All 3 levels. Specifically the MOF which translates to the NFL. If you can work the MOF it shows you can operate in tight spaces, go through your progressions, move defenders and know how to be on time with defenders flying around. Maye led all big time QBs working the mof and big time passes. Plus anticipation in this area of the field, coming off a WR break.
His ability to maneuver, manipulate and scramble is very impressive. Just more playmaker in his game. He can find a way with someone all over him. Or take off for a 1st down. Again he's a weapon every play whether things are good or bad.
Love his passion, willingness to pick up tough yards, make a play for his team. He's all "fight" when it comes to fight or flight. He's worked on reaching a balance there. Again that's where coaching comes in. His ability to make plays out of structure and play within structure is very impressive. He wants to make it happen with his arm or legs.
His decision making can be off at times. He does have 2-3 "hero" plays in him a game. He could check down a few more times, go for a "safe" play a little more but that's the ride with these guys and why you need good coaches, right? Plus a lot of these moments are due to too much being put on him while playmakers are leaving or his OL isn't very good. This is an area he has to clean up but he wasn't put in a great position in a lot of spots last year either.
His footwork and lower half mechanics need to improve and will lead to more accuracy on the easy stuff and more velocity on the tight window passes (20+ down field) I love his shoulders when he's working or on the move though. He's got a lot of potential here. He needs to find a consistent and comfortable base.
Too many sacks on him. From his own doing and poor pocket presence. He could improve even slightly in this department and see big results. Cut back and be more decisive when scrambling particularly pertaining next level. Designed runs, few scrambles but behind the line be as decisive as possible.
Could be a tad faster regarding his progressions but there's plenty of video of him reading left to right or we. Again, more coaching.
Maye looks like my QB1. I won't have a "top 5" grade on any of the QB's but he'll likely be QB1 with a solid 1st round grade. He'll be 22 in August I believe. So he's still a pup in many ways but plays like a big dog. Like any QB coming in coaching will be huge. He'll need his McVay or whoever to work with to reach his full potential. That said he's got everything you want and more. He's quite the package now but still only 21. To think about what he could be at 24-25 with the proper development could be scary.
As far as a player comp I see a lot o
Drake Maye will be tough to pass on if he's there at 3. He just will be. For numerous reasons. You could throw a huge resource at the most important position in sports. Coming off a failed top 15 pick with Mac. Someone who imo was a 2nd round value. Maye is worth a 1st. This will automatically get the fanbase fired up going into next year. New HC, OC and QB. That's 3 years of security and 3 yeas to get things right. Maye is a good looking kid with a 6'4 ish/230 frame. Dad played QB at UNC and his brother played basketball. He has NFL arm talent, mobility and can work all 3 levels of the field. Plus athleticism. He's got a good work ethic from everything I've read and heard. He seems to have what you want on and off the field.
Maye has an NFL arm with strength, velocity, touch and placement. One thing that stands out of Maye is that he can be a playmaker in the passing game with a body on him, throwing off platform with someone in his face. When things aren't perfect or even "good" around him. Hes able to hit 50-55 with no hop or anything noticeable in his delivery. Tight windows. Far hash to boundary. Arm angles. Passing with tempo and ability to change up from a fast ball. Layering and feathering. His arm is legit. Flexible, strong arm that comes through when the chips are down. The NFL is all about working under difficult conditions, working under certain, specific situations. He's able to deliver a well placed ball with touch and strength in bad conditions. Something you have to think about playing in NE weather.
6'4/230 and will run a 4.60 He's a weapon running the ball that will have to be dialed back but he's an absolute weapon in the rushing game. There's a lot you can do here. Designed runs included but more importantly he's got plus instincts combined with athleticism and mobility for the position. This is key. The kid can create. Not only can he pick up yards defenses inevitably give up but he out run, make you miss or pick up tough yards. A defense has to account for him on every play!
Out of the top tier he's the best working within or out of structure. Working short intermediate and deep. All 3 levels. Specifically the MOF which translates to the NFL. If you can work the MOF it shows you can operate in tight spaces, go through your progressions, move defenders and know how to be on time with defenders flying around. Maye led all big time QBs working the mof and big time passes. Plus anticipation in this area of the field, coming off a WR break
His ability to maneuver, manipulate and scramble is very impressive. Just more playmaker in his game. He can find a way with someone all over him. Or take off for a 1st down. Again he's a weapon every play whether things are good or bad.
Love his passion, willingness to pick up tough yards, make a play for his team. He's all "fight" when it comes to fight or flight. He's worked on reaching a balance there. Again that's where coaching comes in. His ability to make plays out of structure and play within structure is very impressive. He wants to make it happen with his arm or legs.
His decision making can be off at times. He does have 2-3 "hero" plays in him a game. He could check down a few more times, go for a "safe" play a little more but that's the ride with these guys and why you need good coaches, right? Plus a lot of these moments are due to too much being put on him while playmakers are leaving or his OL isn't very good. This is an area he has to clean up but he wasn't put in a great position in a lot of spots last year either.
His footwork and lower half mechanics need to improve and will lead to more accuracy on the easy stuff and more velocity on the tight window passes (20+ down field) I love his shoulders when he's working or on the move though. He's got a lot of potential here. He needs to find a consistent and comfortable base.
Too many sacks on him. From his own doing and poor pocket presence. He could improve even slightly in this department and see big results. Cut back and be more decisive when scrambling particularly pertaining next level. Designed runs, few scrambles but behind the line be as decisive as possible.
Could be a tad faster regarding his progressions but there's plenty of video of him reading left to right or we. Again, more coaching.
Maye looks like my QB1. I won't have a "top 5" grade on any of the QB's but he'll likely be QB1 with a solid 1st round grade. He'll be 22 in August I believe. So he's still a pup in many ways but plays like a big dog. Like any QB coming in coaching will be huge. He'll need his McVay or whoever to work with to reach his full potential. That said he's got everything you want and more. He's quite the package now but still only 21. To think about what he could be at 24-25 with the proper development could be scary.
As far as a player comp I see a lot of Stafford and Allen. Good and Bad.
I just wrote about Maye and his lower half mechanics in the ptp thread. He really makes it hard on himself but in fairness that system had him taking some time during his dropbacks - between the routes (sometimes bery bad, unnecessary things like getting too fancy at the los, deep routes with little nuance ) He drifts and finds himself towards pressure even if it's one threat. Has to climb instead of draft sideways. He has to really work on that. It's correctable but it's going to be whole effort between him, the staff, his trainers .. everything has to be quicker. There are so many similarities to Allen and the footwork is one of them. Allen used to find himself stuck in mud, not moving his feet quite often. I really believe this is the main issue with Maye. This along with occasionally losing sight of second level defenders, being slow at times either just hitting his 1st target (aggressiveness needs to be tamed) or checking down/throwing it away.
Maye is a monster, man. Like if he hits look out. He's an animal with tremendous natural gifts and NFL qualities. He's a beast that needs his energy funneled the right way. He's the only guy I would have gambled on here besides obviously Williams (qbs). Couldn't be happier bc this is the kind of guy (***if he hits***) that can go toe to toe with the top of the NFL class.
It's a gamble but one I would have made.
Go Pats!!!!
