New England Patriots star Drake Maye was named the 33rd-best player in the NFL. Find out why.
New England Patriots QB Drake Maye was ranked the 33rd-best player in the NFL by Bleacher Report's scouting department.
NFL scout Damian Parson dove into what makes Maye so good.
"Maye made one of the biggest jumps we've seen from rookie to year two," Parson wrote. "He threw for 4,394 yards, 31 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. Maye helped engineer the Patriots' Super Bowl appearance with his improved play. The game slowed down for him to read and react post-snap and find the open target. His legs created second-reaction throwing windows to overcome tight defense coverage.
"Maye helped spearhead the Patriots' run to the AFC East title and the dethroning of the Josh Allen-led Buffalo Bills. His accuracy improved, and his efficiency rose as a result. His first postseason experience resulted in team success, but Maye's play tapered off in those high-leverage games. He threw six touchdowns to four interceptions, with his passer rating dropping to 82 and his completion percentage to 58%. If Maye can continue his high level of play, he will force his name to be discussed among the league's elite franchise quarterbacks."
Maye finished the 2025 regular season with 4,394 passing yards and 31 passing touchdowns while completing 72.0% of his passes. Not bad for a second-year QB.
A UNC product, Maye was second in MVP voting last season, losing the award to Los Angeles Rams QB Matthew Stafford. New England's offense could be very, very explosive this season with Maye, A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs leading the way.
Maye enters this season with 6,670 passing yards and 46 passing touchdowns. It will be fascinating to see whether the Patriots can return to the Super Bowl and win it all. Maye and Co. have plenty of motivation after losing to the Seattle Seahawks, 29-13, in Super Bowl LX.
The Patriots open the season with a Super Bowl rematch against the Seahawks in Seattle. That's the perfect game for Maye and Co. to get revenge.
"I think that's the biggest thing about it: It's humbling. You've got to get back to work. When you're so close and within reach, you want that feeling," Maye said. "Everybody says, 'You'll be back.' It's not that easy. So, we've got to get back to work, and I'm looking forward to trying to prove to myself that we can get back and just have another year to get a chance at it."
