“What’s up, what’s up?!” Drake Maye yelped as his video call from Detroit came into focus, seemingly pumped to be the next Patriots’ quarterback.
The former University of North Carolina signal-caller has his next home: Foxborough, Massachusetts.
“I’m stoked,” said Maye when asked his reaction to being selected by the Patriots with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. “I’m super pumped, you know can’t wait to get up in New England. Looking so much– so forward to it, and just an awesome moment to get here with my family and friends. One of the best nights of my life and can’t wait to get up there and get started and get to work.”
Maye, 21, enters a Patriots team in the midst of a ground-up rebuild and, according to head coach Jerod Mayo, isn’t a shoo-in to be the starting quarterback right away.
“We’re not sitting here saying that Drake is our starting quarterback,” Mayo explained of his new quarterback’s role with the team once he gets here. “I think he understands that. He understands the things that he has to get better at. With coaching and once again the hard work and the coaches that we have, the support system from ownership, I think he has a chance to go out there and really — to really play at a high level.”
Upon arrival, New England’s new quarterback will enter a position room led by veteran Jacoby Brissett, who the team signed this offseason as a presumed bridge to the future. Maye said that he’s already met his new teammate, and is looking forward to working with him in Foxborough:
“He’s been so many different places, so many different offenses,” said Maye of Brissett. “I think he’s been in this offense before with coach [Alex] Van Pelt, and just looking forward to get to learn from him.”
He continued: “I know he’s an old guy, old vet… he can still play. So I’m looking forward to help contribute in any way and I’m just looking forward to getting to see him and I know he’s the man.”
As far as Maye’s on-field play, his footwork will need some work at the next level — something offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt puts at a premium in his West Coast-adjacent offense. Maye spoke about his new coordinator and the offense he’s getting ready to run in New England.
“[We] met first time at the formal interview at the Combine,” Maye said when asked if he’s met with Van Pelt. ” He was asking some questions. Then went up there for the 30-visit and went through some of the film [with him], outside zone scheme, and they like to throw it around. He was showing some clips, some play-action stuff with [Aaron] Rodgers back in the day in Green Bay. So I’m looking forward to being in that offense, I know they’ve had a lot of success in the past. So just looking forward to kind of finding my way to best contribute to the Pats — Pats Nation.”
Maye will be in Foxborough on Friday afternoon at 1 p.m. for a jersey ceremony on the Gillette Stadium field.
Follow Mike on Twitter @mikekadlick for the latest up-to-date Patriots and Boston sports news!
