The New England Patriots have found their franchise quarterback with Drake Maye, according to Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay. After their Sunday matchup, McVay immediately knew that the six-time Super Bowl champion franchise had their quarterback of the future.
“He looks like a stud,” McVay said, via Mike Reiss of ESPN. “I didn’t do too much work on him coming out [of college]. I do know a lot of people who studied him really hard, that I truly respect their opinions, and they loved what he was all about. You can just see the impact he has on his teammates. He looks like he’s going to be a special player for a long time.”
Funny enough, Maye received high praise from Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. Much of Maye’s improvement hasn’t come from the statistics but his mentality. After a gritty win against the Chicago Bears, he asked everyone to “clap it up for the defense” after they limited the Bears to three points. Maye’s leadership has taken a step up since taking over.
Drake Maye continues to show promise for the Patriots
Maye completed 30 of 40 passes for 282 yards, with two touchdowns and one interception. His progression every week has been impressive, considering he was thrown into the fire in Week 6. New England has been in rebuild mode this year but has been competitive.
They’re currently 2-4 with Maye. Three of their last four games have come down to one possession, in which Maye showed why he was drafted third overall. Throughout the Week 11 showdown, he gave everything the Rams defense could handle. As a result, McVay gave credit to the rookie quarterback for making the right reads.
“I thought he did a great job making plays in the pocket, was patient, taking some underneath check-downs where guys were able to create. We had tighter coverages and he was able to fit the ball into tight windows,” McVay said.
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The Patriots have two more games before their bye week, as they take on the Miami Dolphins and Indianapolis Colts. Both teams have had up-and-down seasons, battling injuries and quarterback changes. As Maye’s confidence grows, some upset victories are appearing more and more likely. While New England isn’t searching for a Super Bowl, they’re laying the foundation of the future with Maye under center.
After McVay’s comments, the franchise has another stamp of approval to keep moving forward with the former North Carolina football quarterback.