Drake Maye, one of the best quarterbacks available in this year’s NFL draft class, has garnered mixed reviews from evaluators.
But what does Jerod Mayo think about the North Carolina product?
Mayo on Monday morning was asked about Maye, who might be the best signal-caller available when the Patriots go on the clock at No. 3 in next month’s draft. The first-year head coach’s remarks were made one week after ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. reported New England does “not love” the top QB prospect.
“Look, Drake Maye had a fantastic interview at the combine,” Mayo told reporters at the NFL annual meeting, per team-provided video. “He brings a lot of energy. You can tell he has that leadership ability. Also, the exciting part about a guy like Drake Maye is the ceiling. Like, there really is no ceiling with a guy like that. Now, in saying that, when we’re trying to put together this roster — I know a lot of people look at the ceiling, but you also have to see how low is the floor. How low is the floor? I would say a guy like Drake Maye, he has a lot of room to grow. He’s a young guy. Honestly, he hasn’t played football nearly as much as these other guys. So, that’s definitely something we’ve looked at.”
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On the surface, Mayo’s comments don’t make it sound like he’s itching for the opportunity to select Maye at three overall. But gamesmanship comes in abundance leading up to the NFL draft, so there’s also the possibility the Patriots are high on Maye and Mayo is trying to throw off the scent.
Mayo on Sunday confirmed New England’s “priority” going into the draft is to grab a quarterback in Round 1, but the coach stressed the team “really has to be in love” with a prospect to take him at No. 3. So if the quarterback board doesn’t please the Patriots when it’s their time to pick, perhaps they will trade down and bring in more draft capital.
Featured image via Trevor Ruszkowski/USA TODAY Sports Images
