Drake Maye has had some impressive moments in his handful of NFL starts, and one ESPN analyst is very high on the New England Patriots quarterback thus far.
After watching film of Maye’s first six starts with the Patriots, Dan Orlovsky believes the No. 3 overall pick has played just as well — or better — than any other rookie this year. Orlovsky even made the bold claim on Tuesday that Maye would be in the Offensive Rookie of the Year conversation if the former North Carolina star had a better supporting cast.
“He won’t win it because his team isn’t good enough. But just talking about the play — Drake Maye would absolutely be right in the OROY conversation. His tape is flat out awesome,” Orlovsky wrote on X.
He won’t win it because his team isn’t good enough. But just talking about the play—-Drake Maye would absolutely be right in the OROY conversation.
His tape is flat out awesome @Patriots
— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) November 19, 2024
Maye had an impressive game in Sunday’s 28-22 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. He finished 30/40 for 282 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception. He is now up to 1,236 passing yards, 9 touchdowns and 6 interceptions on the season.
To Orlovsky’s point, the Patriots have one of the worst collections of wide receivers in the NFL. They also have a below-average offensive line. If Maye had more playmakers around him, he would almost certainly be having more success. That is part of the reason the Patriots were hesitant to start him early in the year, but Jacoby Brissett’s poor play forced a change.
Though Maye will surely experience some growing pains, the early indications are that he is going to be able to play at the NFL level. That makes the upcoming offseason even more important in New England, as the Patriots need to find ways to give Maye more support. If the team can do that, Orlovsky obviously feels the sky will be the limit for Maye.
