Drake Maye’s positional coach shared what areas Patriots’ rookie has impressed the most
"I think he’s seeing the field well. I think those are good signs."
Patriots quarterbacks coach T.C. McCartney knew how talented Drake Maye was when the team selected him with the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. But when it came time for Maye to start his first game in Week 6, McCartney wanted to see how the rookie did well in other areas beyond his arm talent and athleticism.
“I’d say the biggest thing is, can young quarterbacks see the field? And can they see the field under pressure? Can they see the field in dirty pockets? Can they see the field when the (defense) changes on them? Those are the things you look for and try to prepare guys for,” McCartney told reporters Friday on what he wants to see from a rookie quarterback.
So far, Maye has “excelled” in some of those areas, according to McCartney.
“I think you see his poise,” McCartney said. “I think you see the way he handles pressure, whether it’s dirty pockets or coverages that weren’t necessarily the No. 1 coverages. I think he’s seeing the field well. I think those are good signs.”
The poor play of the Patriots’ offensive line was often cited as the main reason why some believed Maye should’ve sat on the bench for the start of the season and even longer. Jacoby Brissett was sacked 17 times and was the most pressured quarterback in the league over the first five weeks of the season, according to Next Gen Stats.
New England’s offensive line hasn’t been much better with Maye on the field. The rookie’s been sacked six times on 29 pressures, per Pro Football Focus. Maye’s pressure-to-sack rate (22.2 percent) is also marginally better than Brissett’s (23 percent). However, Maye has notably extended plays with his legs, rushing for 50 yards on seven scrambles in two games.
Maye’s athleticism and ability to run certainly give him an advantage over some other quarterbacks in the league when a play breaks down. That ability made him one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft. The early returns seem to indicate what Maye did in college has translated to the NFL.
“We picked him third overall. We thought he was good. I promise you we thought he was really good,” McCartney said. “I think he’s developed, even in the offseason, very, very quickly, which is good. Like I said, until you do it on game day and until you see it all the time, you just don’t know what it’s going to look like. So, just excited to have him out there the last two weeks, and definitely played up to expectation.”
The stats seem to back up the eye test surrounding Maye’s play so far. He’s completed 65.5 percent of his passes for 519 yards, five touchdowns, and two interceptions with a 99.6 passer rating.
Despite Maye’s insertion in the lineup, the Patriots haven’t come close to winning either game he’s started. That’s what McCartney’s most concerned about entering Sunday’s game against the Jets.
“The very first thing is let’s win a game,” McCartney said. “That’s the first thing in the developmental plan – let’s find a way to win a game. As a quarterback, that’s our job whatever that calls for.”
But that doesn’t mean the Patriots won’t take the little progressions Maye has made through his first two starts, either.
“[The development plan] is continuing the path that he’s doing. Continue to see different defenses, continuing to make the right decision play in and play out,” McCartney said. “I think you saw that from Week 1 to Week 2, he definitely improved from the turnovers to no turnovers. So, things like that, staying on track, of the little things we ask him to do.”
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com