Patriots’ Drake Maye Shares Thoughts on Jayden Daniels Connection

FOXBOROUGH, MA. — For better or for worse, New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye and his Washington Commanders counterpart Jayden Daniels will always be connected through circumstance.

Each helping to comprise what has been touted as a potentially fate-altering quarterback draft class in 2024, the Commanders picked Daniels at number 2 overall, while the Pats chose Maye with the third selection.

Just over one year later, Maye’s Patriots and Daniels’ Commanders are scheduled to face off in the preseason opener at Gillette Stadium for a 7:30pm kickoff on Friday. In addition to the sideshow aggression which snagged its share of the headlines, Maye finally had the chance to match wits with his fellow top-five draftee on Wednesday for a joint practice in Foxborough. Though each quarterback held his own in terms of performance during the brief session, it was clear that a great deal of mutual respect exists between the pair.

”I saw him out there, and I congratulated him,” Maye said of Daniels following Wednesday’s joint practice. “What a year he had. Yeah, so I think there's always in the back of your mind the draft class you came in with, and anytime you play him, especially, it's a little different.”

New England Patriots offensive tackle Will Campbell (66) and Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) talk. — Aug 6, 2025; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots offensive tackle Will Campbell (66) and Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) talk after training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Daniels is entering his second season fresh off one of the most impressive rookie performances in recent memory. The LSU product set the rookie quarterback record for rushing yards in a season (891) and leading the Commanders to their first NFC Championship game appearance since 1991. He finished seventh in the MVP voting after throwing for 3,568 yards and 25 touchdowns against nine interceptions.

Conversely, Maye played in 13 games, starting 12 in his rookie campaign after taking over for veteran incumbent Jacoby Brissett in Week 6. The 6’4” 225-pound quarterback completed 67 percent of his passes for 2,276 yards and 15 touchdowns. Despite showcasing impressive poise and resilience at times, Maye was seemingly unable to reach his maximum potential — due largely in part to his being surrounded by a subpar supporting cast and incomplete coaching.

New England sought to mitigate the impact of Maye’s potentially detrimental surroundings by hiring a new head coach in Mike Vrabel, as well as welcoming back Josh McDaniels as offensive coordinator. This season, under McDaniels, Maye is now putting his rapid-learning skills to the test under an offensive guru known for his precision and play-calling acumen. As he attempts to make his second-year leap, his coach’s insight will be an invaluable asset as he hopes to apply what he’s learned.

Still, the Pats starting quarterback will always have an eye on his competition. Although neither Maye nor Daniels are expected to see much action on Friday — Daniels, in particular, is not expected to play — the new face of New England’s franchise recognizes that his peers’ respective prowess can help to provide the motivation needed to play at the maximum of his ability.

“I’m just trying to worry about myself at the end of the day, not keep up with those guys. Those guys – him [Daniels] and Caleb [Williams] and Bo [Nix], those guys are good friends of mine, and they're friends until we play each other.”

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