Drake Maye's rookie performance puts him in great historical company

Drake Maye's NFL career may be only two games old, and he has a lot of growing and shifting to do. But it's becoming more apparent that the New England Patriots made the right choice in picking him third overall in last April's draft.

Maye is 0-2 as a starter, and the Patriots are 1-6. If the season ended today, the team would have the first pick in next year's draft. But it's time we looked at the big picture, and Maye's stats through two games are right up there with those of two of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game.

Maye has thrown for 519 yards and five touchdown passes over his first two starts. Only two other quarterbacks in NFL history have thrown for more than 500 yards and five or more TDs in his first two career starts.

Who are they? Dan Marino and Mark Rypien.

Drake Maye's 0-2 start doesn't mean he's not playing well for the Patriots

The comparisons Maye, Marino, and Rypien share are mind-boggling. Maye officially became the Patriots' starter in Week 6 of the regular season. In 1983, the Miami Dolphins sent David Woodley to the bench and gave Marino the keys to the offense in Week 6. Marino went on to lead the AFC in passing that year and was selected to the Pro Bowl.

Five years later, Rypien stepped in for defending Super Bowl champion Washington after Doug Williams went down with an injury, and threw for 585 yards and five touchdowns in his first two games.

What's even more incredible about Maye being in Marino's company is the vast difference in the guys around them when talking about coaching and skill players. That 1983 Dolphins team was loaded at wide receiver and were the defending AFC champions, and Marino would lead them to the Super Bowl in 1984.

They also had a Hall of Fame head coach in Don Shula. Rypien's Redskins were also rich in talent with another top-notch coach in Joe Gibbs and one of the deepest receiving groups in the league at the time.

Maye has a hot mess of a team around him, yet his skill set is absolutely invaluable. Imagine what he could do with more weapons surrounding him and competent coaching. The Patriots' record is what it is, but for Maye to be in the company of a Hall of Famer through only two starts just shows you that the Patriots have found their franchise quarterback.

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