Though the New England Patriots are far from the dynasty that once ruled the NFL, they found their franchise quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Drake Maye, who cemented himself as one of the best quarterbacks in UNC football history between his 2022 and 2023 seasons, was New England’s third overall pick. Maye initially started his rookie season on the bench, but became the Patriots’ starter ahead of Week 6, making an immediate impact against the Houston Texans.

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As the 2025 NFL season quickly continues to approach, the Maye hype continues to build ahead of his first season as a full-time starter. This time, Maye’s hype surrounds his performance in NFL Training Camp.

“I hear Drake Maye is absolutely wonderful so far,” ESPN NFL Analyst Peter Schrager said on the Pat McAfee Show. “Again, it’s early, these might not be surprises, but when you get Year Two leaps, it means they spent the offseason working. I’m telling you, the juice out of Patriots Camp right now about Drake Maye is very real. And they’ll bring it down because they’re back to that old school style. It’s (Mike) Vrabel, it’s (Josh) McDaniels, it’s a lot of those guys. And they’re not gonna pump up their quarterback. But Drake Maye came ready to play, ready to work. I would just say don’t be shocked if we see a Year Two giant leap from Drake Maye.”

Maye threw for 243 yards and a rookie season-high three touchdowns in his first NFL start, then followed up his Week 6 debut with a 276-yard, 2-touchdown performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Four weeks after facing Jacksonville across the pond, Maye set his single-game passing yardage high, throwing for 282 yards against the Los Angeles Rams.

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Though New England missed the playoffs for a third-consecutive season, Maye proved to be a bright spot on a roster that otherwise lacked weapons at skill positions. With Vrabel now in charge and Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs joining Maye’s receiving corps, Year Two is going to be a fun one for the former Tar Heel.

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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: Drake Maye getting major praise from ESPN NFL analyst Peter Schrager