Needless to say, North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye is one of the most fascinating prospects in the upcoming NFL Draft.
Most evaluators feel he checks the vast majority of the boxes and his strongest supporters project him to be a mix of Justin Herbert and Josh Allen.
Per @JFowlerESPN, multiple league executives have told him that Drake Maye has the "most upside of any of the QBs in this draft".
Should the #Vikings do whatever it takes to land him? 🤔
“I’ve heard from multiple league execs he has the most upside of any of the QBs in this… pic.twitter.com/5e4IP5AIS2
— The Purple Persuasion (@TPPSkol) April 3, 2024
However, one Hall of Fame quarterback is a little leery over Maye and what exactly his potential is.
The one and only Kurt Warner joined The Pat McAfee Show to discuss Maye and made it clear that sometimes the “easy” things don’t come all that easy to him.
"When you get to the NFL you gotta make the layups 99% of the time..
The guys that make the layups give their team a chance to win every time out" @kurt13warner #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/Uuwzw8VHa3
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 29, 2024
“He misses too many, what I call, layups,” Warner said. “When you get to the NFL, you gotta make your layups. You gotta make the layups 99 percent of the time.”
“The reads you’re supposed to make that are easy reads…the throws you’re supposed to make…and he misses too many of those.”
"When you go back & watch Drake Maye in 2022 you see why a lot of people thought he could be the number one pick overall..
Last year was a little bit inconsistent but the potential is there..
Somebody has to have a vision for him like they did with Josh Allen" ~ @mlombardiNFL pic.twitter.com/GD68ENLqRW
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 3, 2024
“The guys that make the layups give their team a chance to win every time out … That’s what the best quarterbacks in the league do,” Warner added.
🚨🚨NEW PLAY SHEET: DRAKE MAYE🚨🚨
Why is seemingly everyone falling out of love with Maye?
I looked at:
🔸Just how peak Maye's peak plays are
🔸Some of the real concerns — and myths — on Maye's profile
🔸Weighing the risk and rewardFULL: https://t.co/rQq35RdXDX pic.twitter.com/TdASRwrGQL
— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) April 3, 2024
The natural ability is crystal clear with Maye. Whether it’s his arm or athleticism, he is clearly a special talent.
He is also as unselfish and ego-less as you can get. Coaches and teammates have said nothing but great things about his attitude and work ethic.
That certainly counts for something – especially when you have the talent to go along with it.
Okay this throw is just silly 🤯
Drake Maye at @UNCFootball's Pro Day on #NFLPlus: https://t.co/xuvj1FqQqZ pic.twitter.com/JKXv8QWb1D
— NFL (@NFL) March 28, 2024
As is often the case with quarterbacks from “smaller” programs, Maye had to overcome a lot of obstacles.
He didn’t have a great offensive line or extraordinary skill players. He had to in many ways put the Tar Heels on his back and carry the load.
Wake up babe, new Drake Maye edit dropped pic.twitter.com/RtOPvX0UAq
— brandon (@DrakeMayeMVP) March 31, 2024
Despite Warner’s concerns, there are several teams at the top of the draft who would love Maye.
Washington is keeping a close eye on him. Meanwhile, he’s set to visit the New England Patriots today.
-Dolphins paying tua 500 billion
-Bills are self destructing
-Jets are paying Mike Williams, Tyron Smith and Aaron Rodgers for 2 gamesMy Patriots will be selecting Drake Maye soon. pic.twitter.com/B4MJeuxG5B
— ₆ (@sadbostonfan) April 3, 2024
It’s hard to envision Maye slipping past the top three. If he does, a team like the New York Giants would potentially be eager to trade up a few spots (from #6) and snag him.
Drake Maye dropped an absolute dime off his back foot 👀
— SleeperCFB (@SleeperCFB) March 28, 2024
What are your thoughts on Maye as a prospect?
Where do you rank him among the top quarterbacks in the draft?
At the end of the day, where do you think he will land???