In what can’t be considered surprising news, North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye has opted to forgo his final two seasons of eligibility and is declaring for the 2024 NFL Draft.
Maye is right up there with USC’s Caleb Williams as one of the top overall prospects in the annual draft. The 6-foot-5 signal caller is considered to have all of the tools necessary to be a franchise quarterback at the next level. In addition to boasting elite-level arm strength, he’s proven to be a dual-threat out of the backfield for the Tar Heels.
Sure, we have to wait for the entire pre-draft process to play out before acquiring a better understanding of the best fits for Maye. But several teams slated to pick at the top of the 2024 NFL Draft have needs at quarterback. They will certainly be eyeing Maye. Below, we look at his four ideal landing spots.
Related: 2024 NFL mock draft
New England Patriots are perfect fit for Drake Maye
Whether it’s Bill Belichick or another head coach manning the Patriots’ sideline in 2024, quarterback is going to be a major need here. Mac Jones has proven over and over again that he’s not the solution. He’s currently riding the pine behind Bailey Zappe for a three-win Patriots squad.
New England is currently slated to have the No. 2 pick in the draft. If Caleb Williams does indeed go No. 1 overall — as expected — Maye would make perfect sense for New England. He’s capable of starting from Day 1 and could help expedite what promises to be a long-term rebuild in Foxborough.
Related: Ranking Drake Maye and the top college football quarterbacks
Chicago Bears find replacement for Justin Fields
With Chicago boasting a 5-8 record and in last place in the NFC North, it’s an open question whether head coach Matt Eberflus and general manager Ryan Poles will be back next season. Previous reports suggested that team president Kevin Warren has been given permission to fire both.
The backdrop here is the status of former first-round pick Justin Fields moving forward. Any new power duo in the Windy City could very well come to the conclusion that he just isn’t the answer. Fields is averaging just over 200 passing yards per game throughout his career and has thrown a mere 37 touchdowns in 36 games. If Chicago opts for an offensive-minded head coach, Maye would make sense. The team is currently slated to have the first and seventh picks in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Las Vegas Raiders finally add franchise quarterback
Could Aidan O’Connell be the answer in Vegas? Sure. But there are just so many unknowns as it relates to this downtrodden franchise. Will interim head coach Antonio Pierce be back in a full-time role? What about interim general manager Champ Kelly? With the 5-8 Raiders going nowhere this season, these are important questions.
What we do know is that former general manager Dave Ziegler and head coach Josh McDaniels opted against finding a potential franchise quarterback last offseason. Instead, the Raiders signed Jimmy Garoppolo. That proved to be an utter failure. In short, Vegas just can’t afford to continue kicking its quarterback situation down the road.
Related: NFL QB rankings
Arizona Cardinals go all in with Drake Maye
Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort and head coach Jonathan Gannon have made it clear that they view Kyler Murray as a franchise quarterback. At the very least, when talking to the media. We’re just not buying it at all. The two don’t have a built-in relationship with the embattled quarterback. Meanwhile, Arizona is slated to pick third and 15th overall in the draft. Maye would make a ton of sense.
- Drake Maye college stats: 64.9% completion, 8,018 passing yards, 1,209 rushing yards, 79 total TD, 16 INT
As noted above, Maye has the capability to start out of the gate. It would help Arizona expedite its rebuild with an eye on the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West moving forward.