Some people are very high on Drake Maye. Rodney Harrison isn’t one of them.
During a TV appearance on Thursday, the New England Patriots legend strongly urged his former team not to select Maye with the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Maye, one of the top quarterback prospects in this year’s class, has been connected to the Patriots in numerous mock drafts — including our own.
Rodney Harrison Advises Against Drafting Drake Maye
Maye entered last season as the consensus No. 2 quarterback prospect behind USC’s Caleb Williams. But a disappointing final campaign at UNC damaged his draft stock, with many now ranking Maye behind LSU’s Jayden Daniels. Some even believe he isn’t worthy of a top 10 selection.
Harrison might fall into that camp.
“You’re probably gonna have to find something in the later rounds, or possibly even trade for a quarterback,” Harrison said Thursday when asked about the Patriots. “But there’s no way I’m spending the No. 3 pick overall on Drake Maye. There’s no way.”
“There’s no way.”
Rodney Harrison on Drake Maye. pic.twitter.com/Hfg6IeSLX5
— Boorish (@Boorish_Sports) April 18, 2024
Harrison is entitled to his opinion, but it feels like a stretch.
First of all, it’s hard to envision the Patriots, who clearly need a new franchise quarterback, waiting until the later rounds to select a signal-caller. And it’s even harder to see them trading for a top QB at this point in the offseason.
As for Maye, he certainly has his flaws. His mechanics need some work, and his decision-making under pressure isn’t great. However, he has the potential to be a star and is the top player on our draft big board.
From Pro Football Network’s Ian Cummings:
“At 6’4″ and 223 pounds, Maye has an elite physical foundation with rare athleticism and arm talent, and he’s shown he can use that talent to create or use it within the confines of the offense to elevate his squad.
“Maye glides as a mover and has effortless off-platform ability and arm elasticity in off-script situations. Inside the pocket, he’s just as deadly as a field general with his rocket arm, angle freedom, pocket navigation skills, processing ability, active anticipation, and DB manipulation.”
What Are Patriots’ Plans for No. 3 Pick?
De facto Patriots general manager Eliot Wolf met with reporters on Thursday, and he gave some interesting remarks about the No. 3 pick.
Wolf played both sides of the fence. In one breath, he said “no” when asked whether the Patriots must take a quarterback with the No. 3 pick. But he also sounded like someone ready to take a QB, saying the Patriots would be “comfortable” using the No. 3 pick on one of the top four quarterback prospects (Williams, Daniels, Maye, and J.J. McCarthy).
However, when asked about Maye and McCarthy specifically, Wolf indicated the Patriots are also high on Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix, both of whom are considered tier-two prospects.
“The best thing is hearing what their teammates say about them,” Wolf said of Maye and McCarthy. “They’re both very well thought of by all their teammates. … It’s just hearing how impressive they are as teammates, as people, as leaders.
“… I know you singled out two of them. … I think it’s a unique year. I’d say that’s been impressive with all six of these quarterbacks that are kind of the top guys.”
As for a possible trade, Wolf is leaving all options on the table.
“Ongoing,” Wolf said when asked about pre-draft trade discussions. “We’re open to anything — moving up, moving down. We’re open for business the first round and in every round. We have some holes we feel like we need to fill in the draft. We’re a draft-and-develop team; the more picks we have, the better.
“But if there’s an opportunity to move up and strike if the board recommends it, then we won’t be afraid to pull the trigger on that either.”
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With the NFL Draft under a week away, we still have no idea what the Patriots are planning. They could go in several different directions.
But if the story ends with New England drafting Maye, Harrison probably won’t be happy about it.