Why did Maye's numbers dip?
If rumors are to be believed, the Patriots are going to select a quarterback with the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. It’s just a matter of who ends up in New England’s lap.
That isn’t stopping the Patriots from doing some research, however.
It’s widely believed that Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye will be the first three players off the board in April. New England reportedly is comfortable with whoever is left at the third pick, but is still gathering intel on each of the signal-callers.
If it is indeed Maye left standing, the Patriots have a specific question they’d like to be answered, according to Chad Graff and Jeff Howe of The Athletic.
“The Pats will likely question Maye, a league source said, about why his stats dipped in his final year as North Carolina’s starter, when his completion percentage and touchdown numbers dropped while his interceptions increased,” Graff and Howe wrote.
The Patriots reportedly met with all three players, as well as a litany of other top prospects, and have tailored questions for each. Daniels will have to answer about his transfer from Arizona State to LSU, according to Graff and Howe.
It’s a way for Jerod Mayo and Eliot Wolf, who will have as big a say in the final decision as anybody, to see how the prospects handle being questioned. If all goes well on either side, it might be enough to convince the Patriots to take their next QB at No. 3.