Ranking the NFL Starting Quarterbacks
#31 Drake Maye (New England Patriots)
Yesterday, I kicked off my Top-32 quarterbacks list with Bo Nix. Today, we’re going to talk about another rookie - Patriots QB Drake Maye, who comes in at #31.
Many are sold on Maye based on his physical skills. And I can’t necessarily argue with them on that front. The kid is a physical stud:
I wouldn’t put him on the level of the most talented quarterbacks in the league, like Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Anthony Richardson, Justin Herbert, etc. But he’s talented, no question.
The problem is that so many areas of his game need a lot of refinement. And many of these areas are pivotal to playing quarterback at a high level in the NFL.
His ball placement, for instance, is erratic. He seldom plays with timing and rhythm. He doesn’t make many anticipation throws. His decision-making is spotty. Most concerning to me, though, is his pocket presence and the way he perceives pressure.
Improvement is certainly possible. But the issues I just listed are not things that can be easily fixed overnight. He has some bad habits that are likely ingrained in him that need to be overcome. Can he do that quickly? Before New England decides they’ve seen enough? That’s the biggest question.
And it won’t be easy with the Patriots. Had he been drafted by a team like Minnesota to play in Kevin O’Connell’s system with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, Aaron Jones, and a good pass-protecting O-line, I’d have more hope that he could improve dramatically in a shorter period of time.
Instead, he’s going to a team in New England that still has a questionable O-line and underwhelming offensive weapons. How will he be able to improve some of those bad habits with in-game reps if he’s constantly running for his life and can’t find any open receivers?
It’s anyone’s guess what Maye will turn into during his career. For the 2024 season, however, he fits comfortably towards the bottom of this list.
Check out the rest of the rankings here:
#32 Bo Nix (Denver Broncos)
#31 Drake Maye (New England Patriots)
#30 J.J. McCarthy (Minnesota Vikings)
#29 Gardner Minshew (Las Vegas Raiders)
#28 Will Levis (Tennessee Titans)
#27 Deshaun Watson (Cleveland Browns)
#26 Anthony Richardson (Indianapolis Colts)
#25 Bryce Young (Carolina Panthers)
#24 Daniel Jones (New York Giants)
#23 Jayden Daniels (Washington Commanders)
#22 Caleb Williams (Chicago Bears)
#21 Geno Smith (Seattle Seahawks)
#20 Russell Wilson (Pittsburgh Steelers)
#19 Derek Carr (New Orleans Saints)
#18 Baker Mayfield (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
#17 Kyler Murray (Arizona Cardinals)
#16 Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville Jaguars)
#15 Jared Goff (Detroit Lions)
#14 Tua Tagovailoa (Miami Dolphins)
#13 Kirk Cousins (Atlanta Falcons)
#12 Jalen Hurts (Philadelphia Eagles)
#11 Brock Purdy (San Francisco 49ers)
#10 Jordan Love (Green Bay Packers)
#9 Dak Prescott (Dallas Cowboys)
#8 C.J. Stroud (Houston Texans)
#7 Justin Herbert (Los Angeles Chargers)
#6 Aaron Rodgers (New York Jets)
#5 Matthew Stafford (Los Angeles Rams)
#4 Lamar Jackson (Baltimore Ravens)
#3 Joe Burrow (Cincinnati Bengals)
#2 Josh Allen (Buffalo Bills)
#1 Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs)
I find it fascinating that after three years of listening to the sports media relentlessly tearing down Mac Jones...they've only now become moderately observant and are really, really concerned about the O-line and lack of weapons for Drake Maye. Huh...that's weird.
While pondering what Maye would do with Kevin O'Connell, in the spirit of fairness, consider for just a moment what his trajectory would be with the law firm of Patricia and Judge handling his development...