New England Patriots’ quarterback Drake Maye has been ranked as part of the NFL’s Top 100 list ahead of the 2026 season.
The “NFL’s Top 100” list dwindled all the way down to No. 11 before Drake Maye made an appearance, as the quarterback became the fourth New England Patriots’ player recognized in the lead-up to the 2026 regular season.
An annual list of the league’s best players as voted on by their peers, Maye’s high ranking in the NFL’s Top 100 follows an MVP runner-up performance and Super Bowl appearance in his first full season as a starter. Previously, New England was represented on the list by A.J. Brown (No. 80 overall), Kevin Byard III (No. 61 overall), and Christian Gonzalez (No. 28 overall).
Maye took the league by storm in 2025, finishing the regular season with 4,394 yards, 31 touchdowns, and just eight interceptions passing, and added 450 yards and four touchdowns rushing. He led the league in several statistical categories, including yards per attempt (8.9), passer rating (113.5), QBR (77.1), EPA per play (0.27), and completion percentage over expectation (+9.1%). Maye’s NFL-best 72.0% completion percentage broke Tom Brady’s 2011 franchise record and ranks as the sixth-highest mark in NFL history.
With several signature moments along the course of winning 16 of 17 games and 10 consecutive contests during the course of the season, Maye flashed on prime time with wins over the Buffalo Bills, New York Giants, New York Jets, and Baltimore Ravens. His 10-point fourth quarter comeback at Baltimore in Week 16 was the first such occurrence for the Patriots since Super Bowl LI.
Maye’s statistical outputs in the postseason dropped off from his gaudy regular season totals, but he still accomplished several feats en route to Super Bowl LX. Maye became the first quarterback in NFL history to defeat three of the NFL’s top-five defenses in the same playoff run, and was just the third 23-year-old quarterback in NFL history to start a Super Bowl (Dan Marino, 1985 and Ben Roethlisberger, 2006). His 17 wins in 2025 were the most by a quarterback in their first or second seasons in NFL history.
Including his postseason statistics, Maye accounted for 5,850 total yards in 2025 (5,222 yards passing and 628 yards rushing) — 73.6% of New England’s 7,949 total yards gained.
At just 23-years-old, Maye was the catalyst that sparked the Patriots’ offense to heights that few thought possible. Now, he enters 2026 with something he hasn’t had since high school: continuity. Working with head coach Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels for a second season, Maye’s command of the offense is set to take another leap forward this fall.
To facilitate further development, New England brought in reinforcements to ease the burden he previously carried in the offense. An upgraded arsenal around Maye will lessen the load he’ll have to carry on a weekly basis, and will help accentuate the strengths he’s established as a professional through his first two years.
Those high-end traits he possesses are plentiful, and are already well-respected by players around the league — as reflected in his NFL’s Top 100 ranking. All that’s left for Maye to continue climbing is more time on task, and he’s in the perfect position to take another step forward in 2026. A prepared, experienced Maye with comfortability in the system, an improved group of receiving threats, and reinforced front line sets the table for a repeat performance this fall.
What do you think of Maye’s ranking in the NFL’s Top 100? Is he too low? Too high? Drop your thoughts in the comments below and join the conversation on Patriots Roundtable.
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