Drake Maye
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Drake Maye, born August 30th, 2002, is an American professional football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. He ignited his collegiate career with the North Carolina Tar Heels, where he was crowned ACC Football Player of the Year in 2022. That remarkable season saw him lead the NCAA in total yards and set new school records for single-season passing yards and touchdowns. The Patriots recognized his immense talent, selecting Maye third overall in the 2024 NFL draft, and he went on to earn Pro Bowl honors in his very rookie season.
Born in Huntersville, North Carolina, Maye’s athletic journey began at William A. Hough High School before transferring to Myers Park High. He wasn't just a football prodigy; he also excelled on the basketball court, earning All-Conference and All-District honors. His junior year, he shattered school records with 3,512 passing yards and 50 touchdowns, leading his team to a conference championship appearance and earning him The Charlotte Observer's 2019 male athlete of the year. Though COVID-19 cut short his senior season, his talent was undeniable, earning him Under Armour All-American status in 2020. Initially committed to Alabama, he later flipped to North Carolina, a decision that would shape his collegiate legacy.
As a redshirt freshman in 2021, Maye gained valuable experience behind Sam Howell for the Tar Heels. Taking the starting reins in 2022, he exploded onto the scene, throwing five touchdowns in his debut and becoming the first UNC quarterback to achieve such a feat. His record-breaking season continued with multiple games of four or more total touchdowns, leading the Tar Heels to the ACC Championship Game and the Holiday Bowl. His 5,019 total yards and school records for passing yards and touchdowns cemented his ACC Player of the Year title. In 2023, he continued to impress, throwing for over 400 yards in multiple games and finishing second-team All-ACC. He declared for the 2024 NFL draft, leaving UNC fifth in passing yards and fourth in passing touchdowns in program history.
The 2024 NFL draft saw Drake Maye fulfill his professional dreams, selected third overall by the New England Patriots. He became the first Patriot since Drew Bledsoe in 1993 to be a top-five pick, and part of a record-tying six quarterbacks taken in the first round. He signed a substantial four-year, fully guaranteed contract. Choosing the number 10, following in the footsteps of Mac Jones, Maye began his rookie season as a backup. His regular-season debut came in week three against the Jets. By week five, after continued struggles from the veteran starter, Maye was named the starting quarterback. In his first start, he showcased his dual-threat ability, throwing for 243 yards and three touchdowns while leading the team in rushing. He became the first quarterback since at least 1950 to throw three touchdown passes and lead his team in rushing in his debut start. Despite a concussion in week 8, Maye finished his rookie season with 2,276 passing yards and 15 touchdowns. Remarkably, his first 10 passing touchdowns went to 10 different receivers, a feat not seen in the NFL since 1973. His impressive rookie campaign earned him a spot in the 2025 Pro Bowl Games.
In week 5 of the 2025 season, Maye led a crucial game-winning drive, setting up a 52-yard field goal to secure a 23-20 victory over the Buffalo Bills.
Maye comes from a deeply athletic family. He is the youngest of four brothers, with Luke and Beau excelling in basketball at UNC, Luke even hitting a buzzer-beater en route to a national championship. Another brother, Cole, was a pitcher for the Florida Gators baseball team that won the College World Series. Growing up, Maye was family friends with quarterback Mason Rudolph, as their fathers were teammates at UNC. His father, Mark, also played quarterback for UNC in the 1980s and had a brief stint with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Maye shares a close friendship with Sam Howell, his predecessor at UNC. On June 22, 2025, Maye married Ann Michael Hudson, whom he had been dating since 2015. They attended UNC together, where Hudson's brother served as Maye's backup on the Tar Heels.
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Drake Lee Maye (born August 30, 2002) is an American professional football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the North Carolina Tar Heels, winning ACC Football Player of the Year in 2022 after leading the NCAA in total yards and setting single-season school records in passing yards and touchdowns. Maye was selected third overall by the Patriots in the 2024 NFL draft and earned Pro Bowl honors during his rookie season.
== Early life ==
Maye was born on August 30, 2002, in Huntersville, North Carolina. He attended William A. Hough High School in Cornelius, North Carolina, and transferred after his freshman year to Myers Park High School in Charlotte, where he played football and basketball. He has three brothers, who also played football. Two of his brothers, Luke and Cole, won national championships playing collegiate sports. Maye proved to have a competitive nature with them regarding sports. As a junior in high school, he received All-Conference and All-District honors in basketball and was named The Charlotte Observer's 2019 male athlete of the year after throwing for a school-record 3,512 yards and 50 touchdowns en route to a conference championship appearance. Maye was named a Under Armour All-American in 2020 despite being unable to play his senior season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Rated a four-star prospect, Maye committed to play college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide in July 2019 before flipping to North Carolina in March 2020.
== College career ==
As a redshirt in his freshman season for the North Carolina Tar Heels, Maye appeared in four games behind starter Sam Howell in 2021. With Howell leaving for the NFL in 2022, Maye was named the starter prior to the season. In the opening game against Florida A&M, Maye threw five touchdowns and became the first UNC quarterback to do so in his debut. Maye would also record games with four or more total touchdowns against Appalachian State, Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh, and Wake Forest. He led the team to appearances in the 2022 ACC Championship Game and Holiday Bowl and was named the ACC Player of the Year after leading the NCAA in total offense with 5,019, passing for school-records 4,321 yards and 38 touchdowns while rushing for 698 yards and 7 touchdowns.
In the 2023 season, Maye threw for over 400 yards against Syracuse, Miami, and Campbell. Maye was named second-team All-ACC after passing for 3,608 yards and 24 touchdowns while rushing for 449 yards and nine touchdowns. Maye declared for the 2024 NFL draft following the season. He finished his career fifth in passing yards (8,018) and fourth in passing touchdowns (63) in UNC history.
== Professional career ==
=== 2024 ===
Maye was selected by the New England Patriots as the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. He was the first Patriot since Drew Bledsoe in 1993 to be selected in the top five of the draft. He was the third of a record-tying six quarterbacks taken in the first round (tied with the 1983 draft). Maye signed a four-year fully-guaranteed contract worth $36.64 million on May 28, 2024. Maye was the second consecutive Patriots first round rookie quarterback to choose the number 10, following Mac Jones.
Despite a strong preseason, Maye was named a backup to veteran Jacoby Brissett to begin his rookie season. Maye made his regular season debut in week 3, entering in the fourth quarter of the Patriots' 24–3 road loss to the New York Jets. Maye finished the game, completing four of eight passes for 22 yards and rushing for 12 yards. On October 8, 2024, after the Patriots fell to 1–4 and continued struggles from Brissett, Maye was named the starting quarterback. In his first start against the Houston Texans, Maye completed 20 of 33 passes for 243 yards with 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions in the 41–21 loss; he also led the team with 38 rushing yards. Maye's three touchdowns were one more than Brissett had thrown in his five 2024 starts, and Maye became the first quarterback since at least 1950 to throw three touchdown passes and lead his team in rushing in his first start. In week 8 against the Jets, Maye recorded a rushing touchdown before exiting the game in the second quarter with a head injury, later diagnosed as a concussion. The Patriots would go on to win 25–22.
Maye finished his rookie season throwing for 2,276 yards with 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Maye's first 10 passing touchdowns went to ten different receivers, making him the first NFL quarterback to accomplish that feat since Steve Ramsey did so in 1973.
In January 2025, Maye was selected to play in the 2025 Pro Bowl Games as a replacement for Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen.
=== 2025 ===
In week 5 against the Buffalo Bills, Maye completed 22 of 30 passes for 273 yards, including leading a 37-yard game-winning drive to allow Andrés Borregales to covert a 52-yard field goal with 15 seconds left to win the game 23–20.
== NFL career statistics ==
=== Regular season ===
== Personal life ==
Maye is the youngest of four brothers: Luke and Beau played basketball at UNC, with the former landing a buzzer beater in the Elite Eight en route to winning the 2017 national championship. Another brother, Cole, was a pitcher on the Florida Gators baseball team that won the 2017 College World Series. Maye grew up family friends with quarterback Mason Rudolph, as their fathers played together at UNC. Maye's father Mark played quarterback at North Carolina (UNC) in the 1980s prior to playing briefly with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Raleigh–Durham Skyhawks.
Maye is good friends with Sam Howell, who preceded him as starting quarterback at UNC.
On June 22, 2025, Maye married Ann Michael Hudson. They began dating in 2015 and announced their engagement in January 2025. Hudson and Maye also attended UNC together, where Hudson's brother backed up Maye on the Tar Heels for a year.
== References ==
== Further reading ==
Graff, Chad (August 12, 2024). "From driveway 'King of the Court' to Patriots' future, Drake Maye was built to compete". The Athletic. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
== External links ==
Career statistics from NFL.com · ESPN · Yahoo Sports
New England Patriots profile
North Carolina Tar Heels profile
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