Many NFL fans like to ask, "Which quarterback has the strongest arm?" or "Who has the best pocket presence?" Some even build the "perfect quarterback" by combining the traits and characteristics of quarterbacks around the league. New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye certainly deserves to be in this conversation.
For third consecutive year, ESPN's Matt Bowen is picking out the NFL's best players by specific skills and traits, seeking to identify the subtle advantages players have rather than focusing on their overall talent.
This year, Maye has been selected for two of these skills and traits.
Drake Maye’s pinpoint accuracy (and more) makes him one of the league’s best
Bowen selected the 23-year-old has having the best touch and timing among quarterbacks in the NFL.
"Maye can put touch on the ball to find open voids versus zone coverage," Bowen wrote. "Plus, Maye will deliver a "runner's ball" to beat man schemes. On throws of 10 to 20 air yards, Maye is completing a league-best 68% of his passes."
In the Patriots' latest win against the New York Giants, Maye's 33-yard, drop-in-the-bucket touchdown pass to wide receiver Kyle Williams is a flawless example of his exemplary loft and ball placement. There are very few quarterbacks who could have successfully made that throw, placing the ball in between a closely trailing defender and the left sideline.
In addition to his accuracy, the second-year signal caller leads the NFL in completion percentage (62.2%) on throws with one yard or less of receiver separation as of Nov. 2. The closest quarterback to Maye's success rate on tight window throws is Seattle Seahawks' Sam Darnold at 48 percent. Maye comfortably leads the NFL in this respect and could prompt fans to argue that Bowen's choice of Dak Prescott as the most accurate passer is wrong.
Bowen also selected Maye for having the best trait for another skill: pocket poise.
"Maye has shown a strong sense of calm inside the pocket, with subtle movements to shift his platform and climb. On pocket throws this season, Maye has 19 touchdown passes compared to four interceptions."
During the first drive in Patriots' win against the Giants, Maye showcased his pocket poise with a nine-yard completion to Hunter Henry. He stepped up in the pocket to avoid pressure, pumped the football to create further separation, and delivered a first-down pass to Henry on the play.
#Patriots QB Drake Maye coming off the covered frontside to the backside dig, moving the defender in the passing lane with a pump fake, and hitting Hunter Henry to move the chains on third down.
— Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) December 2, 2025
pic.twitter.com/NTRQnIncWA
With the playoffs around the corner, the MVP candidate will look to showcase these talents in the final quarter of the 2025 regular season. And for Patriots fans, these are the types of traits that will create added confidence that the organization has found their franchise player of the future.
For fans around the league, this is news no one was hoping to hear since it was just five years ago that the greatest quarterback of all time, Tom Brady, left New England.