Drake Maye snubbed among rookie QBs in ESPN’s 103-player poll

Drake Maye’s strong preseason apparently didn’t resonate with many NFLers taking part in ESPN’s recent poll.

Drake Maye could be in for a long season behind this current Patriots offensive line. (AP Photo/Daniel Kucin Jr.)

During the Patriots’ three-game preseason slate, Drake Maye showcased the arm strength, athleticism, and processing ability under center that made him a top-three pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

The 21-year-old Maye has all of the tools required to develop into a franchise quarterback in the NFL ranks.

But New England’s lackluster supporting cast and the likelihood of a multi-year rebuild brewing in Foxborough might hurt Maye’s standing as a future superstar — such is the sentiment shared by a recent poll conducted by ESPN.

Drake Maye’s 14% career designed rush rate and 11% scramble rate ranked second behind Jayden Daniels.

He is going to run once he takes the starting job.

pic.twitter.com/rvadbii2rE

— Dwain McFarland (@dwainmcfarland) August 16, 2024

Apparently many NFL players are sleeping on Maye’s chances of thriving at football’s highest level, as ESPN’s poll — which featured 103 total NFL players — included a question asking which rookie quarterback in the class of 2024 would have the most successful career.

It wasn’t exactly a surprise that Chicago’s Caleb Williams and Washington’s Jayden Daniels placed first and second in the polling — reflecting their status as the first and second picks in the 2024 NFL Draft.

But Maye — the third-overall pick behind Williams and Daniels — didn’t receive any votes at all in the polling.

Even if Williams and Daniels might have more momentum on their side thanks to their draft status and their expected roles as Week 1 starters for the Bears and Commanders, there were another three rookie QBs who received votes over Maye.

In total, Williams received 34 votes, Daniels took home 30 votes, while Minnesota’s J.J. McCarthy (10 votes), Atlanta’s Michael Penix Jr. (eight votes), and Denver’s Bo Nix (eight votes) also received recognition.

It’s a pretty tough break for Maye, especially when measured against the other rookie QBs taken after him in McCarthy (who is set to miss the 2024 season with a torn meniscus), Penix Jr. (who is expected to back up Kirk Cousins in Atlanta) and Nix.

Maye, much like Penix, could be staring at a backup role to open the 2024 season behind Jacoby Brissett. Still, the promising rookie showcased plenty of his high-end skill during his three preseason games — completing 21-of-34 passes for 192 passing yards while also recording 32 rushing yards and two total touchdowns.

Still, the results of this ESPN poll might have more to do with the lack of talent around Maye than outright concerns about his individual game.

With New England’s offensive line submitting a disastrous performance in the team’s preseason finale and the Patriots still lacking a proven, No. 1 receiver, it might take some time for Maye and the Patriots to assert themselves as legitimate threats in the NFL.