Drake Maye and Caleb Williams have long been considered the two best quarterback prospects in the 2024 NFL draft. Jayden Daniels has made a strong push to join the duo atop draft boards this spring, but Daniels will likely still be a tier below the two gunslingers when Roger Goodell steps to the podium in late April.
Maye had an excellent college career and has drawn comparisons to a legendary NFL quarterback. Even with a player as talented as he is, though, fit still matters in the NFL. Talented young players often get drafted by struggling teams, which can negatively impact their careers. With that being said, let's take a closer look at the best landing spots for Drake Maye in the 2024 NFL draft.
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Drake Maye scouting report
Maye might have the biggest arm in this year's draft class, even including USC superstar Caleb Williams. The former North Carolina Tar Heel recently showcased his arm strength and accuracy by throwing a pass 70 yards in the air that hit the uprights. He is an incredible talent, and he also has sneaky athleticism.
The biggest concern for evaluators is where he went to school. UNC may have nearly unrivaled success in college basketball, but the same cannot be said for their football team. The best-known quarterback to get drafted from UNC prior to Maye is Mitch Trubisky, and his NFL career did not exactly go as planned. Unfortunately, the young prospect might find himself guilty by association.
This isn't fair to Maye at all, though. It's like saying that Michigan didn't have any successful NFL quarterbacks prior to Tom Brady, or the old adage about Ohio State quarterbacks not finding success in the NFL.
Obviously, that last one is no longer true after CJ Stroud's dominant rookie season in Houston. However, part of the reason that Stroud didn't go number one overall likely had to do with that stereotype about Buckeyes quarterbacks struggling at the pro level.
With his strong arm, a big frame that makes it difficult for defenders to bring him down and his underrated athleticism, Maye has drawn comparisons to a young Ben Roethlisberger. While this might be a high bar for the young signal caller to live up to, it is an excellent comparison. He's a top-flight draft prospect, and no amount of concern about the school he went to should derail that.
I would grade Maye as a solid A prospect, with a draft grade of 96 out of 100.
New York Jets
Of the teams within striking distance to realistically trade up for Maye, the New York Jets stand out as by far the best fit. Aaron Rodgers likely only has a year or two left, which would give the rookie adequate time to learn under Rodgers and develop while still promising him playing time sooner rather than later.
In an ironic twist, it would be almost the exact same approach that Rodgers took to begin his career. The star QB was drafted by the Packers but sat and learned under Brett Favre before taking over the controls as the starting QB. That approach certainly worked out well for the former Packers quarterback, who will likely go down as one of the top 5 or 10 QBs of all time.
The Jets are also an ideal landing spot for Maye due to the playmakers that they will have surrounding him. Garrett Wilson will be going into his third year in the league and is already one of the top 10 receivers in football. If the Jets can add a couple of offensive linemen and perhaps one more secondary option in the passing game, Maye would be set up to find himself in a position to succeed with the Jets.
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are not the best fit for Drake Maye when looking at it from a holistic view. Among the teams within range of drafting the former UNC signal caller without trading up, however, the Patriots are the best fit. With the second overall pick, New England is the most likely destination for the former North Carolina signal caller. Although Bill Belichick is no longer in New England, the culture he established that helped an unheralded late-round pick become the greatest QB of all time is still alive and well. Maye should be elated to land in New England.
The biggest thing holding the Patriots back from being an ideal destination for Maye is the team's lack of established weapons in the passing game.
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons are within striking distance to move up and acquire the former Tar Heel, particularly if he drops slightly on draft night. The Falcons might not have as much offensive talent as the Jets or the Steelers, but they certainly have more weapons than the Patriots do. Kyle Pitts is a versatile weapon as a pass catcher, with the size and speed of a wide receiver and the size and strength of a tight end.
Pittsburgh Steelers
It would require a massive trade package for the Steelers to move up high enough in the draft for a shot at landing the talented quarterback. That being said, on paper Pittsburgh is by far the best fit before the kid who has drawn comparisons to legendary Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
Pittsburgh will have an open competition at quarterback after Kenny Pickett's disastrous year in 2023. If Drake Maye were to find himself in the Steel City, there is little doubt he would be considered the favorite to win the starting job. Mike Tomlin might not quite be Belichick, but there is little doubt that he is on the short list of best coaches in football.
The Steelers also have an embarrassment of riches at the offensive skill positions. They haven't all had the opportunity to prove themselves yet, in part because of the struggles the team has had at the quarterback position. Maye would be an instant upgrade, and he would go a long way toward unlocking the potential that the rest of the offense possesses.
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