Drake Maye’s high school recruiting ranking highlighted before Super Bowl LX

New England quarterback Drake Maye leads the Patriots into Super Bowl LX after a memorable high school and college career.

Former North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye (10) was a big-time recruit in the 2021 class out of Charlotte, NC. | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The New England Patriots arrive at Levi’s Stadium this weekend for a championship collision with the Seattle Seahawks that serves as the culmination of a rapid franchise turnaround.

At the center of this resurgence is a 23-year-old quarterback who has navigated the heavy expectations of a legendary sports family to reach the biggest stage in professional football. Growing up in a household where excellence was the minimum requirement, he watched his father lead the Tar Heels in the 1980s while his older brothers captured national titles on the basketball court and the baseball diamond.

These early years in Huntersville and Charlotte fostered a relentless competitive drive that eventually transformed a multi-sport star into the centerpiece of the New England offense.

The journey to Santa Clara was built on a foundation of athletic versatility that few modern passers can claim. He spent his teenage years rotating between the gridiron and the hardwood, earning legitimate interest from elite collegiate basketball programs along the way. His time on the court specifically helped him develop the spatial awareness and creative passing lanes that have become hallmarks of his professional game today.

This diverse background allowed him to remain poised when a global pandemic eventually stripped away his senior season of high school football, forcing him to rely on the elite reputation he had already established during his underclassman years.

Now in just his second season in the league, the young signal-caller has already rewritten the franchise record books by leading the Patriots to a 14-3 record and an AFC title. His ability to manipulate the pocket and deliver accurate strikes under pressure mirrors the poise he showed while leading Myers Park to deep playoff runs years ago.

As he prepares to face a formidable Seattle defense, the spotlight remains fixed on a player whose path to the Super Bowl began long before he ever wore a professional uniform.

Drake Maye's high school recruiting ranking, UNC background

Before the accolades in New England began to accumulate, Drake Maye was a prolific prospect at Myers Park High School who commanded attention from every major scouting service. Rivals identified Maye as a four-star recruit and the No. 45 overall player in the national class of 2021.

The industry leader also evaluated him as the eighth-best quarterback in the country during that recruiting cycle. These rankings were backed by a historic junior campaign where he completed 72 percent of his passes for 3,512 yards. During that record-breaking season, he set a North Carolina state record with 50 touchdown passes while leading his team to a 12-1 record and a league title.

Former North Carolina Tar Heels and current New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye in attendance at a UNC game at Dean E. Smith Center. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The production was not limited to his junior year, as Maye threw for 3,201 yards and 36 touchdowns as a sophomore to earn all-conference honors. His dominance on the field led to scholarship offers from national powerhouses, including Alabama and Ohio State.

While he initially pledged to the Crimson Tide in July 2019, he eventually followed his father’s legacy by flipping his commitment to North Carolina in March 2020. This move proved successful as he swept all four major ACC individual awards before the Patriots selected him with the third overall pick in the draft.

THREE MINUTES OF UNINTERRUPTED DRAKE MAYE @UNCFootball HIGHLIGHTS 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ibzx1XaGW9

— ACC Network (@accnetwork) February 6, 2026

Beyond the football field, Maye was a standout basketball player who averaged 16.1 points and 11.3 rebounds per game as a high school junior. This elite rebounding and scoring ability caught the eye of the Clemson basketball program, but he ultimately decided to prioritize his future under center.

This weekend, his multi-sport pedigree will be tested as he leads the New England offense against a veteran Seahawks roster in the season finale.

The Patriots will face the Seattle Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET on NBC.