If I Could Start My Franchise With Any QB Under 25 Years Old… I’m Taking Drake Maye

The 2024 NFL QB Draft Class was hyped up as it should have been. You had a guy like Caleb Williams who came into the league with lofty expectations to be the next great quarterback in the NFL. Jayden Daniels, the Heisman Trophy winner, has already taken his team to the NFC Championship Game. Michael Penix Jr. and J.J. McCarthy each led their teams to the National Championship Game in college and landed in fairly good situations with offensive weapons around them. And Bo Nix got the best coach of all of them in Denver, who he also brought to the table.

But the quarterback in that draft class who I would want to start my franchise with is Patriots quarterback Drake Maye. In my opinion, so far throughout their second years in the NFL, Drake Maye is the quarterback who’s taken the biggest jump of all of them. While the stats may not pop off the page, Maye currently leads the NFL in completion percentage at 74%. He’s one of the more athletic quarterbacks in the league, with a huge arm, great traits, and the ability to extend plays. Considering the situation he entered as a rookie — arguably the worst coaching staff, the worst offensive line, and maybe the worst weapons in the NFL — the fact that he still made it work says a lot about him.

Now in his second year, the Patriots are 2–2 and on schedule. I predicted them to make the playoffs because I thought they would take a massive leap under new head coach Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. While McDaniels may not be a great head coach, we’ve seen he’s an excellent offensive coordinator, and I believed he’d tailor his system to Maye. So far, it’s worked. Maye still turns the ball over a bit too much for my liking, but he’s been much safer than last year. Unlike some quarterbacks, he can still escape pressure, which he has to do behind that shaky offensive line, and he uses his athletic ability to his advantage, already running in a couple of touchdowns.

As Maye continues to improve, I think the Patriots will improve with him. Weapons like

TreVeyon Henderson and Stefon Diggs are starting to look more comfortable, and Will Campbell is finally settling in after a rough first outing against Maxx Crosby. With that growth and Vrabel’s leadership, I think Drake Maye will lead the Patriots to the playoffs this year.

And if you’re asking me which young quarterback under 25 years old I’d pick to start a franchise with, I’m taking Drake Maye. I’d take him over Jayden Daniels. I’d take him over Caleb Williams. I’d even take him over Trevor Lawrence or C.J. Stroud. That’s how high I am on Maye — the athletic traits, the leadership, the intangibles, it’s all there. That’s why I think he’s the best young quarterback in the NFL right now and why I predict he’ll finish as the best of his draft class.