Watch: Drake Maye on video
Drake Maye is now, officially, in the conversation. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler published his annual top-10 quarterback rankings Monday — compiled from ballots submitted by more than 70 league executives, coaches and scouts — and the New England Patriots quarterback debuted at No. 8. At 23, he is the youngest player on the list, appearing on more than 60 percent of ballots and drawing a number of fifth-place votes after his Super Bowl run and near-MVP season.
The statistical case is unusually clean for a debut. Maye led the NFL in Total QBR (77.1), completion percentage (72 percent) and yards per attempt (8.93) last season — and per ESPN, only two other quarterbacks since 2006 have led all three categories in the same year: Tony Romo in 2014 and Tom Brady in 2007. Around here, that second name is the measuring stick for everything, and Maye’s age-23 season now shares a statistical shelf with the best quarterbacking year this franchise ever produced.
Why it matters
The evaluators’ praise came with an asterisk about his surroundings, which cuts in Maye’s favor. “Size, athleticism, accuracy, playmaking upside through the roof, poise and toughness,” one NFL coordinator told ESPN. “He had zero weapons and a shaky OL, and made it all work.” The skeptics’ note was about track record, not talent: “He’s really talented, but I need to see more,” a veteran NFC defensive coach said. “Other quarterbacks on this list have proven it over time, and he’s got to keep doing it.”
That “zero weapons” line is also the part that should age worst, by design. New England traded for A.J. Brown in June, giving Maye a legitimate No. 1 receiver for the first time in his career. Whether the second season of the Mike Vrabel era converts last year’s AFC title into something more starts July 25, when the Patriots hold their first training camp practice.
Fantasy managers should treat the ranking as confirmation of a rising floor rather than old news. Maye finished last season as a top-shelf real-life quarterback without a true No. 1 target; adding Brown gives him the profile of a top-8 fantasy passer, and his rushing contribution keeps the weekly floor sturdy. In dynasty formats, a 23-year-old coming off a league-leading efficiency season is as safe as quarterback assets get.
