After taking his lumps on one of the worst teams in football in 2024, everything's coming up aces for Drake Maye in New England during his second professional season with the Patriots.
Taking the field in a new offense led by Josh McDaniels under the expert guidance of head coach Mike Vrabel, Maye has been able to work magic behind his new-look offensive line, leading the NFL in passing yards and completion percentage through 11 games.
Discussing what it's like to become fast friends with rookie left tackle Will Campbell both on and off the field, Maye told the crew at WEEI Afternoons how their shared journey from college to the pros has helped them prepare for a whirlwind season in Foxborough.
“Big Country, he’s been awesome. I’m proud of the way he’s kinda handled it. I think we were in similar situations — top pick, leaving college early, and coming up here on our own from the South. It’s been cool for us to share this similar journey and share some of my experiences with him,” Maye said via Carlos A. Lopez.
“Will is just coming to work and coming to practice every day. He’s one of our best practice players, and it shows up in the games. It’s fun kinda sharing our accents. I think his is a lot stronger than mine, so it’s fun to hear that. I think that’s the best thing about it, just like I said, sharing some similar experiences, and sharing what I learned from last year, and knowing what a long season it was compared to college. It’s also cool being young and both of us kinda living the same kinda life.”
Coming out of college, some openly wondered if Campbell could hold up at left tackle, with more than a few talent evaluators openly suggesting a move to guard due to his suboptimal arm length. Instead, Campbell has been one of the top rookie tackles in football, ranking just behind Armand Membou in PFF rating. If he continues to play up to these standards, not only will Maye remain in the MVP conversation, but the Patriots will likely continue to succeed down the stretch.
