Brock Purdy or Drake Maye: Which Prizm Silver RC Has a Higher Upside?
In this story:
The football card market moves fast. A Brock Purdy Prizm Silver rookie card in a PSA 10 sold for more than a Drake Maye Prizm Silver Rookie PSA 10 just four months ago. Today, the Brock Purdy card sells for $583, and the Drake Maye goes for nearly three times more at $1,700.
Brock Purdy and Drake Maye sit at two different stages of their NFL careers. Purdy is playing in his fourth season and has a proven track record of success in both the regular season and playoffs. Maye, after an impressive rookie season, had an elite MVP-caliber sophomore campaign in 2025.
It's understandable that both quarterbacks are hot commodities in the football card market. Purdy (26) and Maye (23) are young, exciting QBs for two of the NFL’s flagship franchises, and both have already demonstrated elite talent in their short careers. Maye and Purdy each have terrific play-callers and offensive systems that should lead to prolonged success.
RELATED: Caleb Williams Rookie Card Prices Surge After Miracle Comeback Against Packers
Which quarterback’s cards represent a better investment in the football card market? The simplest and most practical way to compare them is to evaluate their Prizm Silver rookie in a PSA 10. Not only does it represent their flagship rookie cards, but it is also among the most liquid, most graded, and most transacted card for both players.
The population counts are very similar between the two rookie Prizm Silvers. There are 619 Brock Purdy Rookie Prizm Silvers in a PSA 10 and 721 PSA 10 Drake Maye Rookie Prizm Silvers. But Maye’s Prizm Silver PSA 10 from 2024 currently sells for a lot more.
So which card and quarterback represents the better sports card investment? We will look at both objectively and declare a winner.
The Case for Brock Purdy’s Prizm Silver PSA 10
1. Lower Price Creates a Stronger Entry Point
Purdy’s price is significantly lower than Drake Maye’s. For collectors looking for value, that is significant. A lower entry point mean less downside if performance regresses. It also means more room for sustained long-term appreciation if he continues to win games, go on deep playoff runs, or eventually secure a Super Bowl ring.
Drake Maye’s higher price point comes with real downside. If he struggles in the postseason and follows that with a weak third year, his cards can drop significantly. The Patriots benefited from a favorable 2025 schedule, but 2026 will be very different. A first-place schedule means stiffer competition and a far more challenging path for Maye going forward.
2. Purdy Offers a Proven Track Record and More Stability
Purdy has already proved he can carry on offense to the Super Bowl. If not for some late-game Patrick Mahomes heroics, Brock Purdy would already have a Super Bowl win on his resume. Purdy and Kyle Shanahan have already demonstrated over multiple seasons that they form one of the league’s elite quarterback/coach duos.
Drake Maye deserves some benefit of the doubt after a legitimately elite 2025 season, but he still has to show he can maintain that level. Plenty of quarterbacks have flashed greatness for a year or two only to regress once defenses adjust (or injuries take their toll). Names like Robert Griffin III, Colin Kaepernick, and Carson Wentz are reminders of how quickly early success can fade.
3. Market Sentiment Slowly Shifting in His Favor
Purdy’s rise has been steady, healthy, and grounded in production. His card values have climbed gradually as he’s proven himself over multiple seasons, which creates a far more sustainable market trajectory than Drake Maye’s. Maye’s prices have exploded so quickly that he is almost guaranteed to come down, even if he maintains his current level of play.
The only scenario where Maye’s prices hold is if he starts winning MVPs and Super Bowls immediately. Purdy, meanwhile, began as “Mr. Irrelevant” (he was the very last pick of the 2022 draft) and entered the league with almost no hobby value at all. His market growth is simply the result of consistent, high-level performance and playoff success. He doesn't have the hype of a top 5 pick, but he’s earned his position as one of the NFL's best QBs.
The Case for Drake Maye’s Prizm Silver PSA 10
1. Higher Price = Higher Risk, But Also Higher Upside
People want to collect the best of the best. Not only does Maye have that potential, he is playing like that right now. In 2025 Maye went 14–3 while throwing for 4,394 yards and 31 touchdowns with just 8 interceptions. He ranked top-five in passing yards, passing touchdowns, and average depth of target, while maintaining a strong 72 percent completion rate.
Football card collectors must pay a premium for top QB potential. Patrick Mahomes rookie Prizm Silver from 2017 sells for more than $4,200 in a PSA 10. Maye collectors are betting that the New England QB can approach that number, and he has the potential to do so.
2. Maye has Narrative Power
Maye benefits from one of the strongest narratives a young quarterback can have: the highly drafted prospect stepping into stardom. Card markets have always favored this type of player. Even if Maye struggles next season, the hobby will view Maye as “young with elite pedigree,” capable of breaking out again at any moment.
Brock Purdy does not get that same sentiment with collectors. When Mac Jones played well in Brock Purdy's absence, some NFL fans started labeling Purdy a system QB that is easily replaceable. Maye doesn't have to worry about that, and he's Tom Brady’s successor on one of the league’s premier franchises. Additionally, Maye is working under the same offensive coordinator Brady once had, Mike McDaniel.
3. Athletic Traits Drive Long-Term Demand
Maye has the size, speed, and arm talent to be the very best quarterback in the league. He has all the physical tools necessary for a modern QB to be elite. Collectors often gravitate to quarterbacks who can extend plays and create off-script.
Like Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, and even Jaden Daniels, Maye throws with velocity on the move. It’s no coincidence that many of the most exciting and productive quarterbacks in football share these traits.
Conclusion: Which QB has Higher Upside in the Card Market?
The answer is Brock Purdy. He was not supposed to have a premium card market. He entered the league as the last pick in the NFL Draft. When he took over as the starter in San Francisco though, all he has done is win consistently. His card prices are based on performance, not projection.
Brock Purdy offers the safer floor. He has lower risk, steadier pricing, and production that has already been proven over multiple seasons. His market is supported by what he has accomplished, not by speculation. Drake Maye is the exact opposite. He represents the higher ceiling, but also higher risk. Much of Maye's value is based on projection, not track record.
Collectors may be underestimating Purdy’s upside simply because his rise hasn’t followed the traditional path of a high draft pick. He’s still only in his early twenties, he’s in an ideal system, and he has already produced at a high level with room to grow. Just as he was overlooked in the NFL Draft, Mr. Irrelevant continues to be underestimated in the card market.
David is a collector based in Georgia and a lifelong fan of the New York Yankees, New York Giants, and New York Knicks. He is an avid sports card collector with a strong passion for vintage baseball cards and vintage on-card autographs. David enjoys obtaining autographs through the mail and loves connecting with other knowledgeable collectors to discuss the history and evolution of the hobby. He also previously wrote about the New York Giants for GMENHQ.com