Drake Maye

The Patriots made Maye the third overall pick in this year’s draft, hoping he’s the QB of the future that Mac Jones failed to be. Jones, the 15th overall pick in 2021, was traded in March to Jacksonville. Maye will compete for the starting job with free-agent acquisition Jacoby Brissett. Even if Maye isn’t the Week 1 starter, he likely will be under center at some point. At 6-4, 223, Maye has prototypical size, with a strong and talented arm that can both attack defenses deep and slip balls into tight windows. Scouts praised his vision and anticipation, and he’s an athletic dual threat who rushed for 1,147 yards and 16 TDs his last two years at North Carolina. Maye is a bit of a gunslinger, prone to ill-advised passes, and inconsistent mechanics and poor footwork at times hurt his accuracy, especially on routine short throws. But the Patriots have time to develop that while Brissett handles QB duty. The bigger issue is a lack of playmakers. The WR depth chart is topped by Kendrick Borne, who is coming off an ACL injury, and Demario Douglas, a 2023 sixth-round pick who failed to score last season. Second-round rookie Ja’Lynn Polk might already be the best wide receiver, and tight end Hunter Henry could be the No. 2 target. Maye, however, at least gives the Patriots hope in the post-Belichick era. Read Past Outlooks