Patriots Did Right By Drake Maye With All But One Pick — And Not Cornerback

The New England Patriots had rookie quarterback Drake Maye front of mind when they made seven of their eight total picks in the 2024 NFL Draft.

After selecting Maye at No. 3 overall, Eliot Wolf and company added two wide receivers and two offensive linemen. It marked the first time since 1969 the Patriots used each of their first five picks on offensive players, per ESPN.

It was a clear from the jump the Patriots wanted to build around the North Carolina product. It didn’t end there either. In total, New England selected seven offensive players and one defensive player during the three-day event.

But there was one time when Maye was not front of mind.

And no, we’re not talking about the sixth-round selection of cornerback Marcellas Dial.

Instead of making a seventh consecutive selection benefitting Maye, the Patriots made the organization the primary focus at No. 193. With that pick, ironically the one they received when they traded Mac Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars, New England selected fellow quarterback Joe Milton III.

It was a surprising turn of events for many, despite the fact the Tennessee gunslinger entered with a Day 3 grade. Even Milton himself admitted he was a bit caught off guard. Milton, like others, didn’t think he would receive a call from a New England area code because Maye did two nights prior.

Patriots first-year head Jerod Mayo dumbed down the decision-making: Milton is a good football player and New England is building a football team. That’s completely understandable. If the Patriots had Milton with a higher grade and couldn’t pass up, again, that’s justifiable. Better to be stacked at the most important position in sports, right?

However, it still leaves New England open for some questioning.

Because while Maye is the clear favorite to become New England’s long-term quarterback — read that again because we can’t stress that enough — it very well could open the rookie QB up for needling down the road.

I mean, is it outlandish to think the Maye-Milton discussion will lead sports radio airwaves Monday afternoon? And never mind just in the short-term. What if Maye finally enters the starting lineup in Week 10 and looks the part of a developmental quarterback for three weeks straight? There almost certainly will be someone from Bridgewater, Mass. — shoutout to Bridgewater — screaming from the 300 sections for the Patriots to put the “gunslingah” in the game. It doesn’t take much to fuel those things.

Should that matter to the Patriots? No, maybe not. And it probably won’t matter to Maye either. After selecting Maye on Thursday night, Wolf stressed how confident the Patriots are in Maye’s physical and mental make-up. Wolf specifically reflected on Maye’s media availabilities after North Carolina losses last season and noted how he showed maturity not often found in a 21-year-old.

But the point remains: The Patriots had Maye front of mind for seven of their eight selections during the NFL draft. Hopefully the decision he wasn’t won’t be their most regrettable one down the line.