With it being NFL Combine week, the NFL Draft itself is fast approaching. As guys like North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye head to Indianapolis looking to show off their best stuff to the NFL world, they’re hoping to put their best foot forward and learn all that they can in the process.
That becomes much easier when you have a former star quarterback and NFL legend helping you along the way. That’s exactly what Maye has in former Chargers great Philip Rivers, who has taken the passer under his wing during the pre-draft process.
Drake Maye Learning From Philip Rivers Ahead of Draft
Maye was a guest on The Adam Schefter Podcast ahead of an important week in Indianapolis. He got a chance to talk about how he’s been preparing for the event and how Rivers has been there to help him along the way.
North Carolina QB Drake Maye, who is in Indianapolis for the combine this week and projected to be a top pick in the draft in April, has been spending time working with and learning from eight-time Pro-Bowl QB Philip Rivers.
🎧 https://t.co/qhzWPr4Vw4 pic.twitter.com/pDRfrwamY6
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 27, 2024
When Schefter asked him what he had learned from Rivers, Maye was nothing but complimentary of the former NFL great.
“Oh God, he’s one of the best. He just reminds me of like one of my brothers, he loves to compete,” Maye started.
“He’s just one of the guys, gets along with people so well, knows the game, was in the digit system in San Diego, so just picking his brain on that. I know there is a little bit of different systems in the NFL, so just trying to be a sponge, asking questions, asking what likes, I think the biggest thing about Philip is he stayed healthy for so long his career, such a long career…”
“He’s a big dude like me, so just trying to find ways to relate to him, both ACC guys, I know he went to the wrong school in the ACC, but you know some of that same stuff, just trying to pick the brain of one of the great quarterbacks.”
When it comes to preparing for the draft, it seems as if Maye has the right mindset. He looks toward the eight-time Pro Bowler for guidance to begin his NFL career and understands that Rivers did things the right way during his time in the league.
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Rivers was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. With Maye expected to hear his name called around the same time, potentially even earlier, being around Rivers during this time is an invaluable experience that could serve him well going forward.
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