Quarterback Drake Maye was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. After a strong career at North Carolina, Maye was drafted by the New England Patriots.
Thanks to his natural size, build, and makeup, the team is confident that he can become their quarterback of the future. Here’s everything you need to know about Maye.
How Tall Is Drake Maye?
At the NFL Combine, Maye measured in at 6’4 3/8″, making him one of the taller quarterbacks in his draft class.
Maye is the same height as fellow NFL quarterbacks Jared Goff and Jordan Love. Like Goff and Love, Maye will be able to step up in the pocket and make throws while easily seeing over his offensive linemen.
How Much Does Maye Weigh?
While at the NFL Combine, Maye weighed in at 223 pounds. Maye is taller and heavier than Caleb Williams, who was drafted No. 1 overall by the Chicago Bears.
For comparison, Maye weighs around the same as Goff (222 pounds). Love, meanwhile, weighs a bit less than Maye at 218 lbs. Aaron Rodgers is also a solid weight comp, as he weighs 225 pounds.
How Old Is Maye?
Maye is just 21 years old. He was born on Aug. 30, 2002, so he will turn 22 years old shortly before the 2024 regular season begins.
Maye is three years younger than fellow first-round picks Michael Penix Jr. (who went No. 8 overall to the Atlanta Falcons) and Bo Nix (who went No. 13 overall to the Denver Broncos).
Talent evaluators love the fact that Maye is just 21 years old, as it suggests he still has plenty of room to grow and an extremely high ceiling.
What School Did Maye Go To?
Maye played three years of college football at North Carolina.
The North Carolina native attended William Amos Hough High School as a freshman before transferring to Myers Park High School in Charlotte, N.C., where he was named North Carolina’s Player of the Year by MaxPreps.
Maye originally committed to play at Alabama before choosing to join the Tar Heels instead.
Revisiting Maye’s College Career
As a true freshman at North Carolina, Maye appeared in just four games, attempting 10 passes for 89 yards and a touchdown. As a sophomore, he put together arguably his best collegiate season.
Maye started 14 games, completing 66% of his passes for over 4,300 yards and 38 touchdowns to seven interceptions. His leading receiver, Josh Downs, was a third-round draft pick of the Indianapolis Colts.
In his final year with the Tar Heels, Maye played 12 games, completing 63% of his passes for 3,608 yards while throwing 24 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Maye was the 2022 ACC Player of the Year and was first-team All-ACC that year. In 2023, he was voted second-team All-ACC.
Maye’s Potential in the NFL
While being the No. 3 overall pick is an accomplishment in its own right, Maye will have his work cut out for him to prove himself as a franchise quarterback.
Along with his natural abilities as a passer, Maye might not have the same escapability as Williams or Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels, but he has some mobility.
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In Maye’s draft profile, Pro Football Network draft analyst Ian Cummings describes him as a measured, precise, and instinctive passer who can test defenses in the intermediate and deep ranges.
“While Williams is the superior creator, Maye is a very capable creator in his own right, with elite arm talent, spry and fluid athleticism, and effortless off-platform ability,” writes Cummings.
“Beyond his natural talent, Maye shows off very promising operational qualities for a young QB. There are still a few mechanical issues for him to chip away at, and his occasional lapses in decision making can be frustrating. But overall, Maye’s mental game is just as exciting as his physical upside.
“Maye is a measured, precise, and instinctive passer who can test defenses in the intermediate and deep ranges. He’s better than Williams at maintaining pocket discipline, staying on rhythm, and taking what’s given in the short range, and he can carve defenses apart in the intermediate range with his anticipatory high-velocity javelins. In fact, one of Maye’s most exciting traits is his actionable field vision and anticipation. He identifies leverage advantages in coverages instantly, and he can capitalize just as quickly.”