Drake Maye is preparing to enter his second season as the New England Patriots' starting quarterback, and 2025 will actually mark his first full campaign under center.
Remember: Jacoby Brissett opened 2024 as the starter for the Patriots before being displaced by Maye midseason, and from that point moving forward, Maye grabbed a stranglehold on the job.
The former No. 3 overall pick threw for 2,276 yards, 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while also rushing for 421 yards and a couple of scores during his rookie year, seeming to establish himself as New England's quarterback of the future.
Maye is now heading into a pivotal sophomore campaign in which young signal-callers are typically prone to slumps, so getting off to a strong start in the fall will be vital. But where does the University of North Carolina product rank among second-year quarterbacks?
Brandon Austin of Pro Football Network took a crack at ranking all of the Year 2 signal-callers before the 2025 campaign, and he placed Maye fourth, one spot behind Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams.
"Heading into 2025, the Patriots have made several key moves to support Maye," Austin wrote. "They acquired Stefon Diggs as their WR1, drafted promising rookie receiver Kyle Williams, and added running back TreVeyon Henderson to bolster the rushing attack. The offensive line and coaching staff have also been upgraded, with new offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels expected to increase the aggressiveness of the passing game. After putting up respectable numbers in Year 1, Maye has the opportunity to solidify himself as the franchise cornerstone in his second season."
Maye definitely has some issues he needs to fix in his game. For example, he fumbled nine times in addition to his interception total last season, so ball security has been an issue for the 22-year-old.
The good news is that he has a much better supporting cast around him now, so Maye should be more comfortable under center this coming season.
