Patriots' Jabrill Peppers shares what has surprised him most about Drake Maye

Patriots recently re-signed top safety Jabrill Peppers had some interesting observations about
Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye. After a light comment, he got down to football with some insightful thoughts.

atozsports.com cited Peppers' comments on the rookie Maye’s taste in music,

"'I mean, I feel like you guys know everything,' Peppers said. 'But he got really good taste in music. I didn't expect that from him.'"

Subsequently, Peppers talked football and had some very positive things to say about the former third pick overall in the 2024 NFL draft. Let’s look at his football-related comments and what they may mean to the Patriots in 2024.

Jabrill Peppers impressed with how Drake Maye has performed against Patriots tough defense

Getting serious, Peppers cited Drake Maye’s ability to adjust to the complexities of the NFL game. Here's what he said, again quoted by atozsports.com,

“’He’s a young quarterback facing a defense who’s been together for a while. We play really well off one another,’ Peppers added. ‘We know how to disguise looks and make it look like different things. He’s definitely getting adjusted to it. He has all the qualities – he’s smart, he can make every throw on the field, it’s just about seeing it, believing it, reading it out, and making the right throws day in and day out.’”

Peppers' comments are indicative of what the Patriots personnel brass must have seen in Maye to make him the third-overall pick in the draft. The young quarterback's physical attributes, size, arm strength, and running ability have never been in question.

Yet, in the NFL, whether he grasps the intricacies of disguised defenses and schemes will make or break any young quarterback's game. Peppers' comments are a solid indication that Maye has what it takes to be successful.

Drake Maye “gets it”

In the same article, atozsports.com also quoted Drake Maye on his new situation in the
NFL. Here’s what he had to say,

“'Just learn from it. Just don’t do the same mistake over and over,' Maye said on Friday. 'Also, you come out here on Monday, the first day in pads, and we do third-and-long. Third and long in the NFL is
tough. Our defense does a good job in third-and-long and it’s tough on the offense. At the same time, just watching film back, focus on the little things. That’s what this position is. As a quarterback,
you have to do the little things right.'"

Maye has grasped the importance of attention to detail in the NFL. His ability to do just that was demonstrated on “Hard Knocks” in a recent clip in his pre-draft interview with the Giants. That understanding helped prompt the Giants to seek a possible blockbuster trade with the Pats for that third-overall pick. To the Patriots' credit, it was a non-starter.

Jabrill Peppers' comments reinforce that, above and beyond his physical skills, Drake Maye exhibits the mental acumen necessary to be a successful NFL quarterback. That’s why the rookie should be the Patriots starting quarterback in 2024. It’s as simple as that.

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