The potential was always clear with Drake Maye.
Mike Vrabel saw it last year all the way Cleveland, where he served as a coaching and personnel consultant. It was part of the reason Vrabel wanted the Patriots coaching job.
Wide receiver Stefon Diggs saw the talent from a closer vantage point. Standing on the away sideline at Gillette Stadium as a member of the Houston Texans, Diggs watched Maye make his first career NFL start. The standing ovation Maye received as he took the field stuck with Diggs, as did one throw in particular.
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“I clearly remember a ball he threw to Kayshon Boutte in the back corner to the right, a touchdown,” Diggs said. “I was like, ‘He can spin it a little bit.’”
Even during a year away from coaching, Josh McDaniels was aware of Maye’s talent and upside as he stayed close to the game. Once McDaniels was named the team’s offensive coordinator, the young quarterback didn’t even need to pick up a football to validate that belief.
“You could tell in April when we started our process just the questions you got back that this guy was a high level guy. Pretty remarkable questions from a young player,” McDaniels said.
“If you’re putting in something and there’s layers to everything you do and sometimes he would skip two or three layers because he already figured them out and then ask you something that’s at the fourth floor and you’re like ‘holy cow we haven’t even talked about steps two and three and you’re already there.’ He’s a remarkable young guy.”
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As the work eventually transitioned to the field, impressions only strengthened. Vrabel recalled plays in training camp — Maye’s accuracy on the move, his comfortability in the pocket — that made him realize he had something special at quarterback.
In the regular season, Maye’s play backed it up. He topped the league in several quarterback metrics while leading the Patriots to 14 wins. He earned second-team All-Pro honors and will finish either first or second in MVP voting.
And while Diggs first noticed Maye’s talent from across the field as a visitor, watching his growth up close has left an even greater impression on the four-time Pro Bowler.
“Been a long journey. His maturation process is second to none. One of the best I’ve ever seen from a quarterback position,” Diggs said. “He’s still super young, which is crazy. He’s had a lot of success, but as I have grown closer to him, I’m a huge fan of him. He’s like a mini inspiration. To be that young, be that mature and be able to play at a high level is something that I always wanted when I was a young player. I’m just happy to be a part of this thing.”
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