Pro day meeting set for Patriots and top quarterback prospect

As the New England Patriots continue on the pro day circuit, they're getting to know many of the top quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL Draft class. Last Friday they had what was reported as a "lengthy meeting" with Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy ahead of his pro day workout. The team is also expected to have another such meeting with LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels ahead of his workout on Wednesday.

Next up? North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye. The Patriots (and many other teams) will fly directly from Baton Rouge to Chapel Hill for Maye's pro day on Thursday.

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Like the previous quarterbacks whose pro days the Patriots have been at, Maye will also get a meeting with the team's top decision-makers. According to Mark Daniels of MassLive the Patriots have a pro day meeting set with Maye which head coach Jerod Mayo will attend. Others expected to be there according to previous reporting include de facto general manager Eliot Wolf, offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, and quarterbacks coach T.C. McCartney.

The Patriots already met with Maye once, back at the Combine. When speaking to reporters at the NFL annual meeting on Monday, Mayo was highly complimentary of the experience.

"Drake Maye had a fantastic interview at the combine. He brings a lot of energy. You can tell he has that leadership ability,” Mayo said. “The exciting part about a guy like Drake Maye is there really is no ceiling with a guy like that. I know a lot of people look at the ceiling, but you also have to see how low is the floor? He has a lot of room to grow. He’s a young guy."

Maye has been among the players most often taken by the Patriots in mock drafts by experts. He's expected to be a top three pick - the big question is whether or not the Washington Commanders would take him second overall and take away the Patriots' chance of drafting him.

For more on what he brings as a player, check out our Drake Maye prospect profile breakdown below...

North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye turned heads during his two years as a starter for the Tar Heels. He showed enough that he's projected to be a top five pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. What has evaluators so excited about his game?

College: North Carolina

Age: 21

Height: 6'4

Weight: 230

Awards: ACC Player of the Year (2022), ACC Offensive Player of the Year (2022), ACC Rookie of the Year (2022), All-ACC First Team (2022), All-ACC Second Team (2023)

Maye was a four-star recruit out of Myers Park High School in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was the fourth-ranked quarterback in the Class of 2021 after Quinn Ewers, Caleb Williams, and Sam Huard. After initially committing to Alabama he flipped to stay in-state at UNC.

With Sam Howell as an established starter, Maye redshirted his true freshman year. He won the starting job in camp the next year, after Howell left for the NFL. He ended up having a breakout season, getting UNC to nine wins for the first time since 2015.

Despite having lucrative NIL deals on the table Maye stayed at UNC for his redshirt sophomore year in 2023. His numbers weren't quite the same, with the emergence of running back Omarion Hampton leading to the offense involving the run game more. Still, early in the year Maye had his team angling for a playoff spot, before going 2-4 down the stretch.

For more player breakdowns, scouting reports, and all things 2024 NFL Draft, check out the 98.5 The Sports Hub Draft Hub page. 

--Has the build of an NFL quarterback

--High-velocity thrower to multiple parts of the field

--Doesn't lose much as a passer outside of the pocket or on the run

--Consistently worked deep into his progressions when reading the field

--Can make plays with his legs, and will be tough to tackle in the open field

--Inconsistent accuracy

--Mechanics fall apart at times

--Refuses to give up on plays, which leads to 'hero ball' and many high-risk decisions

--Has room to grow as a touch passer

--One of the less-experienced quarterbacks in this class, with his 26 college starts the fewest among the projected top-100 quarterbacks

Ceiling: Justin Herbert

Middle: 2019-2020 Ryan Tannehill

Floor: Daniel Jones

Maye has a chance to be an electric playmaker in the NFL. The biggest question is how some of the out-of-structure risks he took at UNC will translate from the ACC to the pro game. He'll be best in a system that prioritizes big plays and is O.K. risking turnovers to get them.

Alex Barth is a writer and digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Looking for a podcast guest? Let him know on Twitter @RealAlexBarth or via email at abarth@985TheSportsHub.com.