NFL QB Coach on Drake Maye: ‘I Wouldn’t Take Him in the Top 10’ of 2024 NFL Draft

Adam WellsApril 23, 2024

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Even though Drake Maye will likely hear his name called very early in the 2024 NFL draft, opinions about the North Carolina quarterback are all over the place.

One current quarterbacks coach in the NFL told The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman they “wouldn’t take (Maye) in the top 10.”

The coach did praise Maye for having “one of the more impressive interviews I’ve done in years in the NFL” by talking about “the different systems he’s played in and the responsibilities he’s had,” but it doesn’t feel like he’s “ready now” to start for a team.

Maye’s stock has been hindered, in part, by having to stay in college one year after his statistical performance peaked. He threw for 4,321 yards, 38 touchdowns and seven interceptions with a 66.2 completion percentage in 2022.

During his junior season in 2023, Maye finished with 3,608 yards, 24 touchdowns, nine interceptions and a 63.3 completion percentage.

There are still plenty of people with a very high opinion of Maye’s potential coming into the NFL. B/R’s NFL scouting department has him ranked as the top quarterback and No. 3 overall player in this year’s draft.

“Drake Maye is the prototypical quarterback prospect,” B/R scout Derrik Klassen wrote. “Size, speed, arm strength; he’s got all the tools you look for in a franchise quarterback. Maye’s arm talent is the core of his game. He can throw a 100 mph fastball into a tight window over the middle or outside the numbers. Maye can also throttle down and put throws where only his receiver can go get it, as well as creating smooth yards-after-the-catch transitions for his receivers on underneath routes. He possesses every club in the bag.”

One of the primary complaints about Maye as a prospect is he can get sloppy with his footwork at times, which leads to accuracy issues.

Nick Akridge of Pro Football Focus noted Maye has a tendency to sail his throws when his footwork is off:

“Consistent accuracy is also a slight problem. His 75.1% adjusted completion percentage ranked only 25th best in the FBS. Throws can sail on him at times due to poor footwork. While he has shown the ability to be accurate on off-platform throws, his consistency on the easy throws is an issue. There are too many examples of him missing simple throws from the pocket.”

Teams that believes in Maye’s size, arm strength and upside won’t have any issue taking him early, though it might be in their best interest to have a quarterback who could potentially open the 2024 season as their starter while giving him time to develop behind the scenes.

Despite the coach’s assessment that they wouldn’t select Maye in the top 10, it would be stunning if he makes it past the first five picks when the first round begins on Thursday.