Drake Maye shares what he said to Jerod Mayo in pre-draft interview
Sep 16, 2023; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye (10) looks to pass in the first quarter at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Friday morning at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis saw quarterbacks take the podium for their chance to speak with the media. For the projected top picks in the draft, many of the questions centered on the handful of teams in position to take them.
North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye was no exception in that regard. Expected to go in the top three picks, May was asked about the teams in that range – a list that includes the New England Patriots.
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Maye was complimentary of his meeting. One of the few more specific anecdotes he shares was what he said to new head coach Jerod Mayo.
“I was really impressed with them,” Maye replied when asked about his meeting with the Patriots. “Coach Mayo first – I congratulated him too. Any time a new head coach – it’s a pretty cool experience.”
Maye continued, sharing his overall impression of the meeting. (For a full list of Patriots pre-draft meetings, click here).
“Just being in there – New England’s obviously a great sports town. Meeting with them, I thought it went well. I think New England is a great spot.”
With all of the quarterbacks speaking on Friday, Maye wasn’t the only one to talk about his meeting with the Patriots. LSU’s Jayden Daniels explained why it would be ‘dope’ for him to play in New England.
Check out Drake Maye’s full scouting report below…
Barth's 2024 Draft Profiles: North Carolina QB Drake Maye
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?
Drake Maye scouting report
Oct 14, 2023; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye (10) runs against the Miami Hurricanes in the first half at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Credit: Nell Redmond-USA TODAY Sports
Background
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.
