Eliot Wolf reveals the big reason why Patriots were set on Drake Maye

In the months leading up to the 2024 NFL Draft, the Patriots were expected to select their next franchise quarterback with the No. 3 pick. There was much debate about which quarterback that would be, with Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye leading the charge.

There was a lot to like about both players. Each had an impressive college career and was projected to be the face of an NFL team right away.

However, the differences in how they played the game made the Patriots' decision much more intriguing, mainly because their performance would dictate how the new regime would build the rest of the roster.

Of course, because the Commanders were set to pick ahead of them on draft night, they wouldn't have a complete say in which quarterback fell to them. That prompted rumblings of Jerod Mayo and Eliot Wolf potentially passing on Maye if he was the one who fell, only for that not to be true.

Because the UNC alum is the one who remained on the board at No. 3, the Patriots picked him. They then revealed he had been the frontrunner the whole time, which Wolf later detailed part of the reason why.

Eliot Wolf reveals the big reason why Patriots were set on Drake Maye

Besides his standout play on the field to draw teams' interest, the de facto general manager shared the Patriots staff, many of whom met with Maye on several occasions, raved about how the 21 year old quarterback dealt with criticism and losses, especially in front of reporters.

Wolf credited Maye for the maturity he demonstrated throughout his career, applauding him for how he conducted the press conferences and taking accountability, even if the loss was not on his shoulders alone.

“He was one of the only quarterbacks in this draft that went up there after every loss and handled the media. He handled it with grace, with class. Watching those press conferences, there were a lot of times where the reporters were trying to get him to throw somebody under the bus, and he wouldn’t do it. He’s a 21-year-old kid, but he’s very mature and understands what it means to be a leader.”

Apparently, Wolf wasn't the only one impressed.

Mayo spoke about Wolf bringing a tape of Maye's lowlights from his UNC career, watching the clips during one of their meetings with the quarterback. He maintained responsibility for the bad plays, which made the Patriots' new head coach even more interested in bringing Maye to the team.

“A lot of teams, they put up all the good plays of players. Eliot and his group, they put a tape together that had a lot of bad plays, and honestly he took a lot of that blame on himself even when sometimes it wasn’t his fault. A very accountable man.”

Given the scrutiny he will inevitably face as a new player in the NFL and from the brutal Boston media, it's critical that Maye has a thick skin because New England is not an easy place to play. He's clearly shown that and then some; hence Mayo and Wolf mentioning that aspect so much.

But it also makes you question if there is another reason it was an important attribute for the new staff.

Could it have something to do with the 'attitude issues' displayed by Mac Jones during his Patriots tenure, particularly during the 2022 season? Mayo was there for that season and saw it firsthand. Perhaps that played a role in why Maye's behavior was so honed in on.

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