Patriots select quarterback Drake Maye with No. 3 pick in NFL draft (2024)

Follow AP’s live coverage of the 2024 NFL draft.

Drake Maye had one word to describe how he felt after finding out he’d be beginning his NFL career with the Patriots.

“Stoked,” he said minutes after New England selected the North Carolina quarterback with the No. 3 pick in Thursday’s NFL draft.

If Maye was feeling the weight of being the quarterback to attempt to revive the six-time Super Bowl champions in the post-Bill Belichick era, he didn’t show it.

Maye becomes the second quarterback taken in the first round by New England since 2021 and will be its latest attempt to find a franchise quarterback following Tom Brady’s departure after the 2019 season. New England traded 2021 first-round pick Mac Jones to Jacksonville earlier this offseason.

“Tom Brady’s the G.O.A.T. It’s easy to say that,” Maye said. “I’m not going to be Tom Brady. I’m just going to try to be Drake Maye. From there I’m just trying to learn from him. and hopefully try to get to know him a little bit. Other than that, try to soak it up and be a sponge. And try to learn all I can from him. He’s the man in that town.”

At 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, Maye checks many of the boxes the Patriots were looking for, with ideal arm strength and athleticism. He also will be coming into a situation in which the entire offense will be learning a fresh system under new offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt.

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The Patriots finished 4-13 and missed the playoffs for the second time in three years last season, leading team owner Robert Kraft deciding to part ways with Belichick after 24 seasons and hire his former assistant Jerod Mayo.

Maye’s selection served as the first big decision for director of scouting Eliot Wolf. In addition to coaching, Belichick had been the team’s de factor general manager with the final say in personnel decisions.

For now, Kraft has entrusted that power to Wolf, who will be serving as the lead voice in the Patriots’ draft room throughout the weekend.

Wolf said they have known for “weeks” that Washington would be taking Jayden Daniels No. 2 and their focus shifted to Maye.

Maye’s character stood out throughout the draft process,” Wolf said.

“He was one of the only quarterbacks in this draft that went up there after every loss and handled the media,” Wolf said. “He handled it with grace, with class. There were a lot of times where the reporters were trying to get him to throw somebody under the bus, and he wouldn’t do it. He’s a 21-year-old kid, but he’s very mature and understands what it means to be a leader.”

Mayo said that during Maye’s pre-draft visit to the Patriots’ team facility, one of the things they did was put together a video featuring some of his highlights and mistakes during his college career.

They were impressed how Maye was able to zero in on what he did wrong and explain what should have transpired to make the plays better.

Mayo said it’s also been made clear that Maye wouldn’t be walking into the building as the Day 1 starter.

“We’re not sitting here saying Drake is our starting quarterback. I think he understands that,” Mayo said. “He understands the things he needs to get better at.”

The Patriots have made moves this offseason to allow Maye to ease into a potential starting role.

Before trading Jones they signed veteran Jacoby Brissett — who was originally drafted by New England in 2016 — to a one-year deal.

But the hope is that Maye will be eventually help the Patriots turn the page on their recent misses at finding a quarterback.

New England brought in 2015 MVP Cam Newton in 2020, but he lasted only one season as the starter before the Patriots drafted Jones the following year.

Jones started strong, earning a Pro Bowl selection as a rookie and seemed like one of the finds of his class.

But he regressed in Year 2 under first-time offensive play-caller Matt Patricia. Jones then struggled again last season after Bill O’Brien returned as coordinator with the Patriots’ offense ranking in the bottom half of the league in multiple categories.

One of the people critiquing Maye on Thursday was Belichick, who was serving as an analyst on ESPN’s “Pat McAfee Show” broadcast from the draft. Belichick he felt the Patriots filled one of their biggest needs by selecting a quarterback. He also identified offensive tackle and receiver as other top needs.

“Drake compares himself a lot to Josh Allen. He’s been doing that for quite a while. We’ll see about that,” Belichick said.

He said Maye’s footwork in the pocket needs to improve.

“Good size, runs well, has good arm,” Belichick said. “Just he hasn’t played very much. He really doesn’t have a lot of experience and he makes some big plays.”

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Patriots select quarterback Drake Maye with No. 3 pick in NFL draft (2024)

FAQs

Patriots select quarterback Drake Maye with No. 3 pick in NFL draft? ›

The New England Patriots on Friday welcomed their newest quarterback home to Gillette Stadium on Friday, just hours after selecting Drake Maye with the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. Maye was a two-year starter at the University of North Carolina.

Did Drake Maye get drafted? ›

Drake Maye will start his NFL career in the place that Tom Brady and Bill Belichick made famous, as he was drafted No. 3 overall Thursday night by the New England Patriots.

Who did the Patriots get in the draft pick? ›

Patriots first round pick Drake Maye. Patriots second round pick WR Ja'Lynn Polk. Patriots third round pick OT Caedan Wallace. Patriots fourth round pick G Layden Robinson.

Who did Patriots draft in Round 3? ›

Round 3: No. 68: Caedan Wallace, OT, Penn State

My take: The Patriots' top need areas entering the draft were QB, WR and OT, and Wallace caps off the 1-2-3 approach in filling them. He was mostly a right tackle in college, but Wolf said the team believes Wallace has the athletic ability to move to the left side.

Who did the Patriots draft in 2024? ›

Of course, Drake Maye headlines the Patriots 2024 draft class. New England drafted the UNC product with the third overall pick on Thursday as it looks to start anew at quarterback. Advertisement: But the Patriots took a second quarterback on Saturday, drafting Tennessee's Joe Milton with their second sixth-round pick.

Who drafted Drake Maye? ›

FOXBORO -- Drake Maye is the new face of the Patriots franchise, with high hopes surrounding the quarterback after New England drafted him third overall.

What draft class is Drake Maye? ›

The anticipation is over with the New England Patriots selecting Drake Maye third overall in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Have the Patriots ever had the number 1 draft pick? ›

The Patriots have selected first overall five times, drafting Jack Concannon in 1964, Jim Plunkett in 1971, Kenneth Sims in 1982, Irving Fryar in 1984, and Drew Bledsoe in 1993. In the most recent draft, held in 2024, the Patriots selected North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye.

What did the Patriots trade for in the draft? ›

The Patriots gave up No. 34 and No. 137, getting No. 37 and No. 110 back in return. The Chargers went on to draft Georgia wide receiver Ladd McConkey. The Patriots have not shied away from making their intentions public that they were open for business on Day 2 of the draft.

How many Patriots draft picks are there in 2024? ›

With eight selections in the 2024 NFL Draft, here's everything you need to know about the newest Patriots rookies.

Who did the Patriots draft in Round 2? ›

Ja'Lynn Polk

What did Patriots get for pick 34? ›

​​The Chargers traded up with the Patriots to begin Round 2 and took Georgia wide receiver Ladd McConkey with the No. 34 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on Friday night. The Bolts sent Nos. 37 and 110 to New England in exchange for Nos. 34 and 137.

Who did the Patriots draft in the second round? ›

BOSTON -- With the 37th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots selected Ja'Lynn Polk, a wide receiver out of the University of Washington.

Who did the Patriots draft in 2014? ›

Drafted Players
RndPlayerCollege/Univ
1Dominique EasleyFlorida
2Jimmy GaroppoloEastern Illinois
4Bryan StorkFlorida St.
7 more rows

Who has the most picks in the 2024 NFL draft? ›

The Cardinals, Packers and Rams have the most picks in the draft with 11 each, while the Bears have the fewest with four picks (including two in the first round).

Who did the Patriots draft in 2011? ›

Among the selections were three linemen - T Nate Solder, OL Marcus Cannon and TE Lee Smith - and three offensive skill players - RB Shane Vereen, RB Stevan Ridley and QB Ryan Mallett. First-round choice Nate Solder was the first offensive player taken by New England in Round 1 since 2006 (RB Laurence Maroney).

Who did Eagles draft from Clemson? ›

Jeremiah Trotter Jr. Jersey No. 54 was a natural for Jeremiah Trotter Jr., and so as he arrived at the NovaCare Complex on Thursday for his uniform and helmet fitting with the team's equipment staff, the Eagles' fifth-round draft pick from Clemson slid right into that as if … as if it were part of a family legacy.

Who did the Washington Commanders draft? ›

Commanders select S Dominique Hampton with the 161st pick. Commanders select LB Jordan Magee with 139th pick. Commanders draft WR Luke McCaffrey with 100th overall pick. 2024 NFL Draft Day 2 grades | Experts speak highly of Washington's savviness, decisions.

Did the Eagles draft anyone? ›

Here are some takeaways. On Day 3, the Eagles selected Clemson running back Will Shipley in the fourth round. In the fifth round, they drafted Texas A&M receiver Ainias Smith and traded up for Clemson linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. They also picked up Michigan guard Trevor Keegan.

What team has the most picks in the 2024 NFL Draft? ›

Arizona Cardinals

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