Drake Maye's spectacular regular season performance is juxtaposed with a playoff struggle. NFL analyst ranks his current standing.
No NFL quarterback had a better regular season than former North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye.
Maye threw for 4,394 yards, 31 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He added 450 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.
Those numbers reflect serious development under head coach Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels during their first seasons in New England.
Maye threw for 2,276 yards, 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions through 13 games played as a rookie in 2024. He also ran for 421 yards and three scores.
The postseason wasn't as kind to the Tar Heels legend.
Maye threw for 828 yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions in four games played. He added another 178 yards and one touchdown on the ground.
Nick Shook of NFL.com gave Maye a reasonable ranking after seeing the quarterback play in the postseason. Shook ranked Maye as the No. 5 quarterback before 2026.
"Drake Maye nearly won NFL MVP but certainly didn't look the part in the postseason," Shook wrote. "After producing an incredible season in only his second year, Maye looked like a sophomore starter in the playoffs, struggling to find the consistency that defined his campaign.
"He made big plays in key spots, sure, but struggled with turnovers all the way through Super Bowl LX, a game in which his youth was painfully evident. Luckily, he's only 23 and has plenty of learning experiences already under his belt."
Maye ran into a brick wall against the defenses of the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks. The Patriots advanced to the Super Bowl with a 10-7 win over Denver in the AFC championship.
Maye had a forgettable performance against the Seahawks, throwing for 295 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He lost a fumble in the Patriots' 29-13 loss in the Super Bowl.
New England's offensive line didn't give Maye much help in either contest. Still, the quarterback appeared to lose his confidence in the Super Bowl.
Even when Maye had time to throw and a clean pocket, he badly missed throws to open targets.
With that being said, Maye made progress in Year 2. If he learns from his mistakes in the postseason, he'll have a chance to win the league MVP in 2026.