The New England Patriots toyed with the idea of trading down in the 2024 NFL Draft, almost up to the last minute. However, they ultimately made the correct decision by sticking to their pick and selecting North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye. Whether it truly was the right decision remains to be seen, but in terms of the process, it was the right move.
Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported approximately an hour before the draft that the Patriots were going to stick with their pick, and it was likely they would choose Maye.
Had the Patriots chosen to trade down and pass on Maye, it could have been a disastrous start to the Jerod Mayo era. The Patriots traded away their 2021 first-round pick, Mac Jones, for a late-round pick this offseason, and with Bill Belichick’s retirement, the franchise hit what many fans see as its lowest point.
Passing on a quarterback prospect like Drake Maye, who is athletic with a strong arm and great potential, could have been catastrophic. But fortunately, the Patriots avoided disaster.
While we can’t predict how Maye will perform, he has drawn comparisons to players like Justin Herbert and Jordan Love. Although his supporting cast at North Carolina weakened in 2023 and his production declined, his performance in 2022 was considered worthy of a top overall pick. Some even say they would have taken him first overall in this draft.
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com suggests that there is a degree of risk associated with this selection.
The question now is whether the Patriots have the right coaching staff in place to maximize Maye’s potential.
Other teams were also interested in Maye. The Vikings, led by Kevin O’Connell and newly hired quarterbacks coach Josh McCown, who previously worked with Maye in high school, were particularly keen. The New York Giants were also aggressive in their pursuit of Maye late in the process, attempting to trade up with the Patriots to replace Daniel Jones as their franchise QB.
Although the Patriots had Mac Jones in the Pro Bowl during his rookie year in 2021, they hired an inexperienced offensive coordinator after Josh McDaniels left, which didn’t pan out. Jerod Mayo has brought in Alex Van Pelt as his offensive coordinator and TC McCartney as the quarterbacks coach, neither of whom has a strong track record in developing quarterbacks, although Maye’s talent level is exceptional.
For New England’s sake, it’s fortunate they opted not to trade out and ignore the quarterback situation, despite having other pressing needs on the roster.
