Patriots rookie watch 2024: Why Drake Maye facing early adversity is a good thing

It wasn’t the greatest start to training camp for New England Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye.  The No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft has struggled and, in some cases, have been outplayed by the team’s other rookie quarterback Joe Milton, but as camp progresses, the North Carolina product seems to be gaining confidence.

With the team’s gameplan being to sit Maye behind veteran QB Jacoby Brissett, there is still hope the young, talented gunslinger will rise to the occasion and challenge for the starting role to start the season.  Maye started to show signs of that in Friday’s practice by completing 10-of-14 passes overall and going 7-of-9 during 11-on-11 play.  He looked to be in a zone as camp is starting to feel more comfortable for him.

“Just trying to be smart with it,” Maye said following practice, via WEEI.  “I feel like I throw the football well down the field.  Still haven’t really aired it out yet, but I think it’s coming. …if it’s not there, just make the right read.”

Drake Maye knows embracing the little things will help him develop

There is no doubt Maye has a talented arm, but it’s the decision making that has been a work in progress.  Though he hasn’t looked as NFL ready as Mac Jones was as a rookie in training camp, taking it slow and understanding what he needs to do better will benefit his success in the league and the team.  In other words, it’s going to take patience and embracing the little things.

“I think I made some nice throws,” Maye said.  “I think I’m throwing the football well.  There’s still little things that I could do better.  One of the fakes, I could have done a better job selling fakes.

“Little things like that go a long way in this league…so just trying to do those things well and just pump up the buys, being the guy out there conditioned and staying after practice getting extra throws that I missed.  Just trying to take it day by day but I feel like I’m throwing it pretty well.”

With the prototypical size for a NFL quarterback and tremendous arm talent, it is the little things, the intangibles and mental game that will make Maye the best possible quarterback he can be.

Jerod Mayo weighs in on Maye’s early struggles

Like all rookies, Maye’s struggles are part of the process.  But, when a player is drafted so high in the draft by a team in need of a franchise quarterback, those struggles are under a microscope.  What will make Maye stand out is how he handles and responds to his struggles and his head coach understands that.

“You know, I would say all rookies are battling through things,” Mayo said when asked about Maye.  “It’s a different scheme.  It’s a different state.  There’s just so much change for these guys.  But what you want to see as those guys go through adversity, you want to see them handle it the right way.  You don’t want to see the explosions on the sideline.  You don’t want to see any of that.  It’s all about the next page and turning the page. And that’s what I appreciate.”

In all, Maye’s early adversity could be a good for his development.  It seems to be paying off the deeper the Patriots get into camp, but time and the eye test will tell how quickly he is able to adjust.