When the New England Patriots drafted Drake Maye with the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on Thursday night, Bill Belichick found out like the rest of the us did. Belichick, who ran the Patriots' draft the previous 24 years, offered an instant analysis of New England's new quarterback shortly after he was drafted.
"Drake compares himself a lot to Josh Allen," Belichick said during his role as a co-host on the Pat McAfee Show's draft coverage. "He's been doing that for quite a while. We'll see about that. I think there are some similarities in terms of size and athleticism. But Josh Allen's a pretty special player, now."
Belichick then went through a series of Maye's plays at North Carolina. Some of the plays showcased Maye's sparkling potential, while others highlighted some of the things that Belichick feels he needs to improve upon. Belichick also touched on the fact that Maye didn't play much in college.
"He makes some big plays ... [but] he's going to need some work in reading defenses, reading coverages," Belichick said. "He's kind of quick to bail out of the pocket, he's going to have to hang in there a little bit longer, I think, and find those receivers. ... This is a kid that can make all the throws. He just needs to be more consistent."
Belichick pointed to one play when Maye bailed on the pocket despite not facing any pressure. He added that Maye was the lowest-rated in the pocket thrower of the quarterback prospects Belichick evaluated.
It's clear that Belichick feels that Maye has more than a few things to clean up if he is going to be a quality starting quarterback at the NFL level.
"He just needs some time and experience," Belichick said.
