In the NFL, to a certain extent, you are what you draft. Under Bill Belichick, poor drafting helped lead the all-time coach to the exit door in Foxborough. Yet, the first pick made after Belichick's departure, the New England Patriots' quarterback, Drake Maye, in 2024, has just received a high compliment.
CBS Sports' Mike Renner ranks Maye as the second-best first-round pick since 2020.
Maye slotted in second on the list of 64 picks beneath only Cincinnati's top quarterback, Joe Burrow. That's a high compliment indeed, when names on that list include the likes of Justin Jefferson, Jackson Smith-Njigba, Micah Parsons, Jayden Daniels, and Tristan Wirfs.
That pick was brilliant. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the rest of the class. Yet, when you bag a top quarterback, all that becomes secondary.
Drake Maye is headed to the very top of the NFL going into Year 3 with the Patriots
While all observers don't rank Maye quite so high in listings of all NFL quarterbacks, there's little doubt that Maye is heading to the top of the league. He's already led a mediocre roster to a Super Bowl in only his second season.
Maye's potential is sky-high. The only thing that can seemingly derail his progress is a front office that fails to provide him with the other top players he needs to be an even greater success.
Renner had this to say about the Patriots' first-round picks from 2000-2025.
"I'll address what I assume will be the Patriots' most controversial ranking, with Will Campbell already falling into the bottom third. For a team that desperately wanted a left tackle, the most generous reading of his rookie season puts him as the third-best tackle in the 2025 draft class despite being the first one taken.
If you factor in projectable traits, he could realistically be the last of the five first-round offensive tackles taken in a redraft. Ultimately, it doesn't matter much because Drake Maye comes in at No. 2 on this list with a real argument to eventually be No. 1."
While drubbing Campbell, who suffered an injury that helped derail his 2025 season and playoffs, he rightfully gives Maye his due. Renner punctuated his Patriots' write-up by pointing that Maye may eventually be No. 1 one this list. Frankly, the argument can be made that he is that right now.
Regardless, Maye is just scratching the surface of his talent. As mentioned, only factors such as the ability of his offensive counterparts to do their jobs have prevented him from totally taking the NFL by storm and will continue to do so.
Maye has the wherewithal to win everything, including Super Bowls and the MVP award, which he rightfully should have won for 2025.
Training camp is underway. It will soon become apparent whether the offensive deficiencies that kept Maye from achieving all of his 2025 goals have been remedied by Mike Vrabel and his front office this offseason. The jury is still out on that, and major holes remain. If they're not adequately filled, Maye's progress will be stymied.
Yet, with his pinpoint passing and top running ability, nothing can ever be considered impossible for this potentially generational NFL quarterbacking talent.
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