The New England Patriots were trying to find a long-term replacement for Tom Brady when they selected Mac Jones in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. That didn't work.
The Patriots hope their next effort to solve their quarterback problem goes well.
The Patriots are entering a whole new era with legendary coach Bill Belichick replaced by Jerrod Mayo, and North Carolina quarterback Drake Mayo will be a big part of that transformation. The Patriots selected Maye with the third overall pick in the NFL Draft on Thursday night.
The Patriots have fallen significantly over the past few seasons and are now well beyond their dynasty. That's why Belichick was gone and New England had the No. 3 overall pick. The Patriots entered this year's draft as one of the most under-resourced teams in the NFL.
Maye won't be the answer to everything, but the Patriots hope this is a start.
Drake Maye joins NFL
For a while, there was a thought that Maye could become the top pick in the NFL Draft over Caleb Williams. The Bears never seemed to have a hard time choosing Williams, but they had reason to prefer Maye as a top-tier prospect.
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Maye broke out during his redshirt freshman season at the University of North Carolina in 2022. He threw for 4,321 yards and 38 touchdowns, showing elite skills that caught the attention of NFL teams.
Maye wasn't as productive in 2023, rushing for 3,608 yards and 24 touchdowns, but his skills were still there.he has good size He is 6-foot-4 and weighs 223 pounds. His ability to run the ball was obvious. And his arm strength was NFL-worthy.
However, as the offseason progressed, the idea arose that Maye could slip into the draft. He sometimes takes too many chances, and over the past two seasons he has recorded 16 interceptions. It was shocking to him.
There didn't seem to be too many other negatives to Maye's game, which is why he was a top prospect heading into the NFL Draft. The biggest question was where he would end up.
Patriots hope for better days
The Patriots had a terrible offense last season. Jones didn't do well after a promising rookie season in 2021. Bailey Zappe made some starts, but he clearly wasn't the answer either.
The Patriots still need to build around their quarterback. They failed to get Calvin Ridley into free agency and did nothing else to add to their lackluster receiver group. The Patriots offense doesn't have many playmakers. It will take time to improve that aspect.
It's not an ideal situation for a rookie quarterback, but the Patriots gave up the opportunity to trade down and used the No. 3 pick to acquire a player who could potentially add to their franchise quarterback. It was a deep quarterback draft, and the Patriots landed a quarterback they were happy with.
The past few seasons haven't been all that fun for the Patriots, who are used to playing championship-level football. They hope Maye's draft is the beginning of a return to glory.
