The New England Patriots shocked the NFL world, as former Patriots great Tedy Bruschi would say, by surging to a 14-3 record and marching all the way to the Super Bowl in 2025. While the result in that game was not a pleasant one for Patriots Nation, the season they had was sublime. Everything centered around ascending young quarterback Drake Maye.
Maye was a driving force during last year's run, and he's why the Patriots remain a contender again entering 2026. He's the Patriots' cornerstone player and the biggest reason they can't be counted out.
NFL.com's Grant Gordon recently ranked the top 12 NFL players entering 2026, and Maye is nicely positioned at No. 6 on his list. That's a stark indication of the high regard in which the third-year player is held around the league, and it may be an understatement.
"'[Maye] was youngest player in NFL history to lead league in completion percentage (72.0, team record); Pro Bowler also led league in passer rating (113.5) and passing yards per attempt (8.9), ultimately guiding Patriots to Super Bowl LX. At 23, became youngest QB to record 4,000-plus passing yards, 30-plus passing touchdowns and fewer than 10 interceptions."
New England Patriots' Drake Maye is poised for superstardom
In just his second year in the league, Maye did what Josh Allen's Bills have never done — play in a Super Bowl. While the outcome was disappointing, Maye's performance down the stretch was hindered by an injured shoulder. If that's healed and stays that way in 2026, armed with a new receiving corps, the sky is the limit for Maye and the Patriots.
The fact that Maye was unranked prior to 2025 indicates just how dramatic a rise in estimation the second-year player's performance demanded. Maye took his game to an even higher level in 2025, earning Pro Bowl and All-Pro nods in the process.
Expectations are even higher for Maye and the Patriots' offense in 2026 due to the additions of true No. 1 star receiver A.J. Brown and No. 2 wideout Romeo Doubs. Both are upgrades over last year's versions, and if the offensive line is improved as expected, the Patriots' offense could be among the league's most explosive.
That outlook becomes even brighter by having one of the NFL's most highly-rated running back duos in Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson. There'll be no respite for NFL defenses whether the Patriots run the ball or pass it with Maye and his bolstered receiving corps. Add solid veteran tight end Hunter Henry to the mix, and the offense could be positively menacing.
NFL teams are defined by their quarterbacks. It's an inescapable NFL reality. If you have a top passer you can do great things. If you don't, it's unlikely. Fortunately, the Patriots landed Drake Maye with the third overall pick in the 2024 draft.
Now, it's just a question of assembling the right pieces around the 23-year-old. If they've done that this offseason, not even their tougher division-winner's schedule will hold them down this season.
Clean pockets, a complementary running game, and Maye's pinpoint passing could propel the third-year quarterback to the very top spot in NFL player rankings in 2027.
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