'He Has To Sit!': ESPN Gives Patriots Shocking Advice On Prospect Quarterback
With the NFL Scouting Combine now in the rearview mirror, the New England Patriots' odds of drafting a quarterback in late April only seem more and more likely.
If they do indeed go down that path, North Carolina standout Drake Maye is undoubtedly one of their top targets at No. 3 overall. Maye has long been seen as one of the top two quarterbacks in the draft alongside USC's Caleb Williams, but with the rise of LSU's Jayden Daniels, it seems very possible that Maye will be available when the Patriots are on the clock.
Nov 25, 2023; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye (10) throws a pass against the North Carolina State Wolfpack during the first half at Carter-Finley Stadium.
Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
Should New England walk away with Maye, they must be careful with who they hope is their quarterback of the future. In a recent interview on The Rich Eisen Show, ESPN's Dan Orlovsky suggested that the Patriots should have Maye sit behind a veteran quarterback for at least a year.
“If New England wants to take Drake Maye at [third overall], they better have a free agent [quarterback] already signed,” Orlovsky said. “Drake Maye has to be on the Jordan Love-type of timeline. Drake Maye has to sit.
“I’ll give the one reason why. His feet are too sloppy, and too all over the place.”
The Jordan Love comparison is an apt one to make, as after the Green Bay Packers selected him in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, he sat behind Aaron Rodgers for three seasons until finally taking over in 2023. That development proved to be invaluable for Love, as he threw for 4,159 yards and 32 touchdowns to lead the Packers to a Divisional Round appearance last season.
The Patriots obviously won't have a quarterback on Rodgers' level, but even still, some extra time in the oven could be invaluable for Maye.
It's also worth noting that the Patriots threw Mac Jones to the wolves right away, and despite a solid rookie season, that approach wound up failing. After all, if it had succeeded, New England wouldn't be looking for another franchise quarterback so soon.
Maye clearly has great talent, and everyone in the Patriots organization would be thrilled to land him in April. If it takes him time to develop that talent, though, then the team should give him all the time he needs.
“If New England takes [Maye] and expects him to play right away, that gives me agita thinking about it, because I want that young man to sit for a year or two, refine that lower half, and then unleash like Green Bay did,” Orlovsky said.
