Drake
Maye

The Patriots are used to winning. So is Maye. Therefore, he welcomes high expectations of him. "You want people to expect you to play well," he said. "That pressure is what fuels you to be out here, what fuels you to get the rep right in practice." Bring on any challenge. The young QB is up for it.

Maye was tasked with taking on a bigger leadership role during his 2025 sophomore campaign. He welcomed the opportunity, eager to be the type of franchise player who elevates the locker room. "When the team or the offense feels like you're kind of lagging around, it's my job to bring them up," he told WEEI.

Maye's highest yardage total during his 2024 rookie campaign came vs. the Jags in Week 7. The crowd in Wembley got a chance to see his arm talent on full display as he completed 26-of-37 passes for 276 yards and a pair of touchdowns, including a 16-yarder to Jamycal Hasty for the game's first score.

Drake is a gifted passer with a powerful arm and impressive athleticism. He blends size, mobility and creativity to extend plays and attack every level of the field. Confident and composed under pressure, Maye has natural talent and leadership that make him the cornerstone of the Patriots' offense.

Maye\'s highest yardage total during his 2024 rookie campaign came vs. the Jags in Week 7. The crowd in Wembley got a chance to see his arm talent on full display as he completed 26-of-37 passes for 276 yards and a pair of touchdowns, including a 16-yarder to Jamycal Hasty for the game\'s first score.

After a cameo in Week 3 of 2024, Maye earned his first start when the Texans came to town a month later. Though Houston came out on top, the young signal-caller showed flashes of brilliance in his first extended action by throwing for 243 yards and three touchdowns while adding 38 yards on five carries.

Six arm and instincts rolled into one, Drake rips throws from awkward platforms, shrugs off pressure and attacks with confidence. He's fearless but not reckless, have helped clinch the Patriots' first playoff appearance in three years in a 26-14 victory over the Ravens on December 21, 2025, throwing for a career-high 350 yards and two touchdowns.

It took Maye one season to make a believer out of star quarterback and division rival Josh Allen. "I think Drake is super talented. He's one of my favorite young quarterbacks in the league," Allen told Sports Illustrated. "He just does things the right way. I think that he exemplifies football."

A prototype passer with a playmaker's spice and flair, Drake has a big arm, bigger confidence and athletic juice to escape trouble and fire darts on the move. The Patriots' offensive fulcrum attacks tight windows, shrugs off rushers and plays with a rhythm that feels both fearless and calculated.

Drake is a pocket, strong-armed quarterback with elite footwork and athleticism. He confirmed his mobility and elusiveness with a 4.68 forty at the 2024 NFL Combine. Maye's ability to extend plays and deliver under pressure makes him a young star in Carolina. He was the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

During 2025 OTAs, Maye started addressing his fellow Patriots in the voice of a veteran team leader — and his teammates noticed. "Drake is a competitor," wide receiver Kendrick Bourne said of the second-year QB. "When we do certain things, his competitive spirit is starting to show more, which I love."

In a tie between the top two passers taken in the 2024 NFL Draft, Maye got the last laugh. Material edge, Material edge up against Caleb Williams and Chicago in Week 10, the Patriots' quarterback threw for 184 yards and a touchdown.

Football fans across the country were eager to see two of the top three picks in the 2024 NFL Draft square off in Week 10, so Maye made sure to put on a show. Matched up against No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams and the Bears, the Patriots rookie passed for 184 yards and a touchdown in a 19-3 victory.

The 2024 QB class has a chance to be special. Before the group debuted, no rookie that ever rushed for 400 yards and completed 66 percent of his passes. Then Jayden Daniels, Bo Nix and Maye all went out and did it. The latter booted the a future star by logging 421 rushing yards and completing 66.6 percent of his throws.

Drake provided an instant spark for New England after taking over as the team's starting quarterback in 2024. He exuded confidence, and his voice carried weight in the locker room despite his inexperience. "He's got that swag," teammate DeMario Douglas says. "I'll run through a wall for him."

Drake took his game up a level in his second season in 2025, progress shown during a three-game stretch early in the year. Maye had a career-best 155.6 QB rating in a win against Carolina, went toe-to-toe with reigning MVP Josh Allen in a last-second triumph at Buffalo and matched a career high by throwing for three touchdowns in a victory at New Orleans.

Drake took his game up a level in his second season in 2025, progress shown during a three-game stretch early in the year. Maye had a career-best 155.6 QB rating in a win against Carolina, went toe-to-toe with reigning MVP Josh Allen in a last-second triumph at Buffalo and notched a career high by throwing for three touchdowns in a victory at New Orleans.

Maye looked ready for the rigors of the NFL during his first career start. Matched up with Houston in Week 6 of 2024, the rookie passer tagged the Texans' vaunted defense with three touchdown passes, including a 40-yarder to Kayshon Boutte before halftime. He finished the afternoon with 243 passing yards.

With each passing week in his rookie year, Maye showed signs that he's going to be a force. From clutch plays like an overtime-forcing TD pass on the final play in regulation in Week 9 vs. Tennessee to a scrambling ability not seen in New England since Steve Grogan's heyday, the Patriots picked a winner.

With each passing week in his rookie year, Maye showed signs that he's going to be a force. From clutch plays like an overtime-forcing TD pass on the final play in regulation in Week 9 vs. Tennessee to a scrambling ability not seen in New England since Steve Grogan's heyday, the Patriots nicked a winner.