North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye is expected to hear his name called very early in the 2024 NFL Draft. But according to one NFL executive, he could have some serious issues transitioning to the NFL level if he ends up on the wrong team.
Maye showed off some truly impressive skills at North Carolina, making some throws that very few quarterbacks in the country could make, which has led to some comparisons to the likes of Josh Allen and Justin Herbert in terms of his sheer raw ability as a prospect.
But could Drake Maye be a bit too raw as a prospect? One NFL executive seems to think so. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler interviewed a number of NFL scouts and executives to have them weigh in on each quarterback prospect.
One executive who chose to remain anonymous raised concerns about Maye, saying that while he has the most upside in the draft, he could also end up experiencing the most significant struggles early in his career.
“He does need some time, and there will be growing pains, but you take him because he has the most upside of everybody,” said the NFL executive. “There’s major ability there. I worry that if you take him and you don’t have a supporting cast and a good offensive line or receivers and he has to play right away, he will struggle early.”
If Maye does go to a team like the New England Patriots with the No. 3 pick in the draft, Maye could indeed experience some real struggles. On the surface, the Patriots have a real lack of skill position players on their roster who are true difference makers.
Unless someone emerges as a top receiving option for someone like Maye, the Patriots could be a disastrous landing spot for Maye.
[ESPN]
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.