The New England Patriots are undergoing a major rebuild under the guidance of new Head Coach Mike Vrabel. He's orchestrated one of the top Patriots' off-seasons in recent memory, if not ever.
Vrabel attacked free agency and then the draft with ferocity, reshaping his entire roster.
He added top playmakers to each level of his defense, from the D-line to the secondary. The Patriots' defense is now considered a strength, whereas in 2024 it was a deficiency. And on offense, he approached his task with equal dedication and proficiency. Vrabel shored up a terrible offensive line with about six new additions, each of whom is better than the players who were in place in 2024.
He also strengthened his lackluster receiving corps, adding two solid veterans, an explosive third-round rookie, and probably the most sought-after undrafted free agent slot receiver available. And to further augment his weapons, Vrabel drafted an explosive running back in the second round. All this on offense was done to complement his fabulous, now second-year quarterback, Drake Maye, who's poised for stardom in 2025.
Analyst places Bo Nix ahead of Drake Maye as a potential superstar
Predicting which young QBs will rise to stardom after one season is a daunting task. Trying to predict who'll be a superstar is even harder. Nevertheless, Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon has named eight young NFL players who he feels have the best chance at superstardom. The only young quarterback on his list is Bo Nix of the Denver Broncos.
Nix had an excellent rookie season in 2024 for the Broncos. He passed for 3,775 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions with a 66 percent completion percentage. That's a solid season for any NFL quarterback, never mind a rookie. He also had a good team around him.
The Broncos went 10-7 in the AFC West, and Nix started every game. The value of having a solid accompaniment and coaching staff can't be overestimated. Yet Knox has kept the Patriots' terrific young quarterback off his list, that notwithstanding. While neither is a shoo-in to be a superstar, discounting Maye's potential is a serious gaffe. He will lead the Patriots to the playoffs in 2025.
Drake Maye is poised to rip the cover off the 2025 NFL
While Nix was guided nicely into the starting QB spot on the Broncos, Maye's development was impeded by his own team's amateurish management and coaching decision-making. As the third overall quarterback in the draft, he rightfully should have been tabbed as the Patriots' starter from Day One. He wasn't at all.
Instead, journeyman backup Jacoby Brissett was foolishly signed to a sizeable contract, so he had to start. He played like a backup. Meanwhile, Maye received no first-team snaps at all in the pre-season and no significant ones until the fourth or fifth week of the regular season, by which time the season was already history.
Adding to the difficulties Maye faced was the fact that he had arguably the worst offensive line and receiving corps in the NFL. It was a situation that would have crushed the spirit of even veteran signal-callers, but it didn't do so to Maye. He took control of the offense and played magnificently. He almost incomprehensively equaled Nix's 66 percent completion percentage while throwing for 15 TDs and only 10 INTs, in only 12 starts. He was brilliant.
With all this in mind, Bleacher Report's Gagnon has given short shrift to Drake Maye. His 2025 season will be every bit as good as Nix's or better, now that he has a top coach in Mike Vrabel and an NFL-worthy supporting cast. Maye has the wherewithal to be great. We'll see his further development towards that goal in 2025. He's headed for superstardom, whether Bleacher Report thinks so or not.