ESPN’s Mike Reiss: Drake Maye needs dedicated mentor for NFL success
The Toucher & Hardy radio program chatted with ESPN’s Mike Reiss about Drake Maye, who the New England Patriots selected with their 3rd overall pick. They discussed Maye’s potential, his readiness for the NFL, and the importance of coaching in his development. Reiss noted the uncertainty around Maye’s immediate playing time and stressed the need for a dedicated quarterback mentor. The conversation also touched on the various opinions from analysts and teams regarding Maye’s draft position and abilities. They also talked about the interest of other teams like the Giants and Vikings in Maye, highlighting how crucial coaching is in evaluating his potential success, drawing parallels to Josh Allen’s playing style.
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TRANSCRIPT:
Rob “Hardy” Poole: So, where do you stand on Drake Maye, and where do you think he’ll be by the end of camp? In terms of his development, his NFL readiness, and if you had to guess right now, will he be taking the field early in the season?
ESPN’s Mike Reiss: Hardy, that’s a tough question to answer because I believe it’s connected to a broader issue. It comes down to what kind of coaching he receives, you know? Right now, it’s uncertain. Alex Van Pelt, the offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach TC McCartney, and Ben McAdoo, who’s a senior offensive assistant—all of them are important. One interesting thing I’ve heard from conversations around the league is how crucial it will be for the Patriots to have a dedicated quarterback mentor for Drake Maye. It can’t be three different people; it has to be one individual to guide him effectively. So, I’m eager to see how that unfolds before giving a definitive answer. With 26 career starts, ideally, they’d like to ease him in gradually. However, if he demonstrates the necessary physical attributes, Jerod Mayo, the head coach, might feel compelled to start him early in the season for the team’s benefit.
Fred Toucher: Yeah. So, as you spent the weekend talking to analysts—I’d like to keep you for one more break if we could—but, as you said, let’s finish up on the quarterbacks. As you went through the weekend, talking to analysts and people, you know, there are a lot of quarterbacks. I don’t know if you’ve read about it; there’s no middle class in the NFL anymore like there used to be, with all the quarterbacks taken in the first round and Rattler being the next kid in the fourth round. Did anyone change your mind about Maye, or were people pretty confident about the pick? Where do people stand on it?
ESPN’s Mike Reiss: He’s interesting. I mean, a lot of these guys have varied opinions, right? Some really like him, which is why teams were talking to the Patriots about trying to trade up for him; they would have taken him at three. Teams like the Giants and the Vikings were interested. On the other hand, some teams didn’t rate him as highly. That’s just how drafts go; there’s always differing opinions. What I consistently heard was that he was the cleanest of the top guys in terms of off-field intangibles, which is what we discussed earlier. One person from a team even told me that if they were investing heavily at that point in the draft for that position, he would be the safest pick.
Fred Toucher: And if the Bills and Vikings were trying to trade up for him, that seems positive. You have to consider the offensive minds behind the ball. I mean, I like that those two teams liked him. If they had traded for that pick, I would have wondered what they knew that we didn’t. These teams aren’t like the Raiders or the Cowboys. This would have intrigued me.
ESPN Mike Reiss: I feel the same way, Fred. Those are two of the best quarterback coaches in the league based on their history, especially the one with the Giants because of what he did with Josh Allen in Buffalo. If you’re a Patriots follower and you’re hoping for Drake Maye’s potential, it’s that type of quarterback—like Josh Allen, big, 6’4”, 23 years old, mobile, with a strong arm.
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NICK GEMELLI is a Producer on Toucher & Hardy, weekday mornings 6-10AM on 985 The Sports Hub. He is also a contributor on 985thesportshub.com. Follow Nick on X (formerly Twitter) at @NickGemelli.
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Meet the New England Patriots 2024 draft class
The New England Patriots 2024 draft class is complete. Read more about each pick below.
In total, the Pats made eight selections in the 2024 draft, and seven of them addressed the offense. It was the right thing to do, for a unit that had rotted from within at all the key spots on the roster.
That doesn’t mean all these draft picks are guaranteed to hit, but it was imperative for Patriots de facto GM Eliot Wolf to take shots at critical positions like quarterback, wide receiver, and tackle. He did exactly that with the Pats’ first three picks in a row.
Did Wolf land the Patriots’ franchise quarterback of the future? That will be the No. 1 question coming out of this draft. Meet him and the rest of the Patriots’ 2024 draft picks…
Round 1, No. 3: QB Drake Maye, UNC
Drake Maye (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
The key to the whole thing. If Maye pans out and becomes the Patriots’ first true franchise quarterback since Tom Brady, their concerns at wide receiver and along the offensive line suddenly won’t matter so much.
Maye has prototypical quarterback size at 6-foot-4 and 223 pounds, and has the arm talent to elevate the weapons around him. But despite his off-the-charts raw ability, Maye needs to improve his footwork and has a steep learning curve ahead of him going from North Carolina to an NFL offense.
So, the best thing for both Maye and the organization is to sit him to begin his rookie year, and allow him to work out the kinks in his game and learn the playbook. Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo and director of scouting Eliot Wolf are confident that Maye has the work ethic and “football intelligence” to do so.
If all goes well in Maye’s development, the Pats will have their franchise quarterback of the future. And he would be the type of guy you need in the modern NFL: an elite athlete with the intangibles to match.
Round 2, No. 37: WR Ja’Lynn Polk, Washington
Ja’Lynn Polk (John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports)
The Patriots wasted little time making their long-awaited high draft pick at wide receiver. They traded down from 34 to 37, turning their fifth-round pick into a fourth-rounder in the process, and went for Polk, a guy Eliot Wolf said the team “had [their] eye on for a while.”
Polk has good size at 6-foot-1 and 203 pounds, and has been universally praised for his hands and his toughness at the catch point. He has big-play potential with his body control and ball-tracking, and has shown the ability to play both inside and outside.
His route-running is solid but could use some improvement. Polk tends to make rounded cuts out of his breaks, and could stand to become more sudden with his change of direction. If he can do that, he could become a productive receiver at the NFL level.
Polk’s ceiling seems to be more of a No. 2 receiver or complementary piece than a true No. 1, but this is the reality in today’s NFL: the true studs all go in the top half of the first round now. Polk should be better than infamous recent picks like N’Keal Harry and Tyquan Thornton. He has a chance to start from day 1 as an “X” or “Z” target.
Round 3, No. 68: OT Caedan Wallace, Penn State
Caedan Wallace (Syndication: York Daily Record)
With their all-important third pick and final one of day 2, the Patriots addressed a huge need at tackle with Wallace out of Penn State. Wallace played right tackle for the Nittany Lions and comes into the NFL with tackle-caliber size and length at 6-foot-5, 314 pounds with 34-inch arms.
Wolf told reporters that he’s confident Wallace has the athletic ability to switch from right tackle to left tackle. The hope is that he does indeed pan out as a blindside protector for Maye. For now, left tackle should be considered a competition between Wallace and free-agent signing Chukwuma Okorafor.
Round 4, No. 103: OG Layden Robinson, Texas A&M
Layden Robinson (Dustin Safranek-USA TODAY Sports)
Robinson played right guard at Texas A&M, and projects as a guard at the NFL level at 6-foot-3 and 302 pounds. But he does have great arm length at 34 ⅝ inches. He gets high marks for his power and play strength.
The reason Robinson was a day-3 pick was a relative lack of consistency in his performance, and unrefined techniques in certain areas, particularly in run blocking. He likely won’t play right away for the Patriots, but there are traits for them to work with here, and the potential to develop him into a starting guard down the road.
Round 4, No. 110: WR Javon Baker, UCF
Javon Baker (Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports)
Another fit for the Eliot Wolf mold, Baker has good size at 6-foot-1 and 202 pounds, and has the skill set to make big plays down the field – jumping ability, ball-tracking, catch radius. He’s also a versatile route-runner, making him a good fit for a West Coast-style offense, which the Patriots are expected to run under offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt.
The knocks on Baker in his scouting reports note the occasional focus drop and struggles against press-man coverage. But Baker does have the size and strength to possibly be coached up to handle that better at the NFL level. On the Patriots, he’ll have an opportunity to play relatively soon as a big “X” outside receiver, a player type they desperately need.
Round 6, No. 180: DB Marcellas Dial, South Carolina
Marcellas Dial (Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
The Patriots finally addressed the defense and a sneaky need in the secondary with the selection of Dial in the sixth round. Dial played as a cornerback at South Carolina and has the physical tools to play man at the NFL level. He has to develop those skills to stick on the Patriots’ roster, but he has a chance, considering their relative lack of certainty at corner.
Round 6, No. 193: QB Joe Milton, Tennessee
Joe Milton III (Saul Young/News Sentinel/USA Today Network)
You can bet your bottom dollar that this pick made our resident draft expert Alex Barth extremely excited. That said, Milton right now is basically a big arm – the biggest arm – and not much else. He has a lot to learn about playing the position at the NFL level. But he should project as a long-term backup for Drake Maye, perhaps with the potential to be something more, if he develops well.
Round 7, No. 231: TE Jaheim Bell, Florida State
ORLANDO, FLORIDA – SEPTEMBER 03: Jaheim Bell #6 of the Florida State Seminoles runs in a 4-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter against the LSU Tigers at Camping World Stadium on September 03, 2023 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
Bell is undersized for a tight end at 6-foot-2 and 241 pounds, but he showed some pass-catching ability and all-over-the-field versatility for Florida State. He’s an indication that new Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo values versatility as much as his predecessor, Bill Belichick. There will be no pressure on Bell to contribute any time soon, with Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper in the fold at tight end. But he has potential as a versatile H-back type if he develops well.
