FOXBORO, Mass. — The New England Patriots did not need to overcomplicate it. And they didn’t.
The Patriots entered the 2024 NFL Draft with the third overall pick. There were three consensus quarterbacks viewed as franchise-altering signal-callers. New England, in position to draft a highly-regarded quarterback, did so and selected Drake Maye at No. 3.
The Patriots are in a much better spot Thursday night after doing so. They addressed the most important position in sports and added a player who countless draft experts and NFL evaluators believe has star potential.
Maye earned player comparisons to the likes of Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen, Los Angeles Chargers’ Justin Herbert and other physically-gifted quarterbacks. The North Carolina product is now a member of the Patriots, a team coming off an abysmal 4-13 season that hasn’t won a playoff game since Tom Brady won his sixth Super Bowl.
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Rejoice, Patriots fans.
New England completed its badly-needed quarterback overhaul with the selection of Maye. It was reported the Patriots entered the offseason with the goal of trading Mac Jones, signing a veteran backup, and drafting a quarterback. With Jones now in Jacksonville and Jacoby Brissett in New England on a one-year deal, they completed the final step. Tic-tac-toe.
In doing so, Robert Kraft’s franchise has its stop-gap solution in the well-respected Brissett and long-term answer in Maye.
Throughout the draft process, Maye was viewed as a developmental prospect. Many called him more of a project in comparison to NFL-ready Caleb Williams and explosive dual-threat Jayden Daniels, who were selected first (Chicago Bears) and second (Washington Commanders) overall, respectively.
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That might prove to be the case. It’s well-documented Maye needs to improve his footwork. And maybe he won’t be able to elevate an offense the same way in the immediate future, especially given New England’s questions elsewhere at offensive tackle and wide receiver.
But the Patriots entered the draft in position to swing for the fences. That’s what they did when they drafted Maye, who not only looks the part at 6-foot-4 and 223 pounds but also has the leadership and toughness qualities. Some believe he would have been the No. 1 quarterback selected in any other draft given his high ceiling.
Remember the days of arguing whether Mac Jones or Bailey Zappe should start behind center? The dog days of the 2023 season, which came as early as mid-October because of how poor the situation was. That is now a distant memory.
The Patriots needed a franchise quarterback. They needed to revitalize the organization and jumpstart the rebuild. It feels like they accomplished all of the above when they selected Maye.
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Featured image via Bob Donnan/USA TODAY Sports Images
