Coming into this evaluation, there seemed to be no chance Drake Maye would be the best QB in this draft. As I watched him, he just checked box after box, and with how Caleb Williams has played, the QB-One conversation started to become real. Maye would be the clear-cut number-one choice in most drafts, but this year is different. Due to Caleb and Marvin Harrison Jr., he’ll likely slip to the third overall pick. Whoever snags him will be getting all-time value. He comes from an offense that runs a lot of plays you won’t see in the pros. That begs the question of whether or not he’ll struggle right out of the gate. We’ll figure that out here and break down his strengths and weaknesses.
Four all-22 games and his highlights were evaluated, and clips from his film are broken down here. All relevant traits were graded based on his film. His scouting report also factored in stats and analytics, such as PFF grades. Use promo code TREYSCHNEIDER on Underdog Fantasy to match your deposit up to $100. Please gamble responsibly and leave your feedback on Twitter @FBIntellect.
| Profile |
|---|
| 2nd QB / Top Five | 6’4 / 230 | RS-SO | North Carolina |
| Pro Comp |
|---|
| Justin Herbert |
| Scheme |
|---|
| Any |
QB Stats
| 2023 (Through WK Eight) | |
|---|---|
| COM%: 65.4 YPA: 8.7 Pass YDS: 2,249 Pass TDS: 14 | INT: 5 Rush YDS: 282 Rush TDS: 5 FUM: 2 |
| 2022 | |
|---|---|
| COM%: 65.7 YPA: 8.3 Pass YDS: 4,293 Pass TDS: 37 | INT: 7 Rush YDS: 889 Rush TDS: 7 FUM: 7 |
Film Analysis
Drake Maye shows tremendous poise under pressure in this clip above. He recognizes it’s man-on-man against a Safety and throws it right before taking a hit. The precision on this throw is also perfect, as he put it in a place where only his Receiver could get it.
This clip is an excellent example of Maye’s arm talent and accuracy downfield. He sees the one-on-one opportunity and takes advantage of it.
Maye makes an excellent read in this clip and throws with velocity and accuracy. He reads the Safety and sees him take the crosser, leaving the other Receiver open on the vertical route.
Grades
OVR Grade: 1-100
| Individual trait scale (1-7): |
|---|
| 7 – Rare world-class skill; best in the league and no room for improvement | 6 – Great-elite skill; one of the best at that given trait but still has some room to improve | 5 – Very good; above average and has potential to be elite | 4 – Average; able to suffice but, not ideal long-term | 3 – Below average; able to suffice at college level | 2 – Poor; hinders overall play and is a liability to the team | 1 – Awful; not good enough to play given position at any level above D2 | Note: Consistency plays a large factor. |
| Overall Draft grade scale (1-100, realistically: 57-87): |
|---|
| 86 – Perfect prospect | 82 – Bluechip prospect | 80 – Likely all-pro | 79 – Day one quality starter or superstar potential | 78 – Day one starter w/ all-pro upside | 77 – Day one starter w/ high-end upside | 76 – Day One Starter | 75 – Boom or bust | 74 – Will become quality starter within 2-3 years | 73 – Boom or bust (high risk) | 72 – Will become starter within 2-3 years | 71 – Day-one backup with starter upside |
SPD – Speed
ACC – Acceleration
AGI – Agility
STR – Strength
ARM – Arm Strength
REL – Release
TWM – Throwing While Moving
TUP – Throwing Under Pressure
SAC – Short Accuracy
MAC – Intermediate Accuracy
DAC – Deep Accuracy
PRC – Processor
DEC – Decision-Making
PA – Play Action
SPR – Sense Pressure
ELU – Elusiveness/ Contact Balance
SEC – Ball Security
Traits/ Skills
(Grades are subject to change until draft day.)
| Traits | Immediate | Potential |
| SPD | 5.4 | 5.4 |
| ACC | 5.4 | 5.4 |
| AGI | 4.8 | 4.8 |
| STR | 4.8 | 5 |
| ARM | 6.2 | 6.4 |
| REL | 6.2 | 6.8 |
| TWM | 5.2 | 6 |
| TUP | 4.6 | 6.1 |
| SAC | 5.3 | 6.4 |
| MAC | 5.4 | 6.6 |
| DAC | 5.5 | 6.8 |
| PRC | 4 | 5.8 |
| DEC | 4.2 | 6 |
| PA | 5 | 6 |
| SPR | 4.3 | 5.3 |
| ELU | 5 | 5.3 |
| SEC | 4.5 | 5.8 |
Drake Maye’s Pros and Cons
- Drake Maye has all the traits you look for in a franchise QB and is relatively refined. His cannon, mobility, and outstanding accuracy downfield make him ideal for a play-action offense.
Pros
- Pro-level arm talent with a powerful and snappy release
- Ideal size for a QB at 6’4″, 230 lbs
- Velocity allows him to fit passes in tight windows
- Mobility and play extension is a plus
- Throws on time and with anticipation
- Rides a fine balance of aggressiveness and good ball security as a passer
- Impeccable precision throwing downfield – nearly 57 adjusted completion % on deep balls
- Can get a good pass-off when throwing off-platform
- Remarkable poise throwing under pressure
- Two years of impressive numbers against legit competition
Cons
- Holds on to the ball too long, although not as bad as Caleb Williams
- Occasionally, bails clean pockets and drifts into pressure
- Footwork can get messy in the pocket, leading to easy misses
- Operated in a very college-like system; transitioning to a pro-offense may be a struggle
Combine – TBD
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Pro Day – TBD
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Final conclusion on Drake Maye
Everything about Drake Maye screams franchise QB, and it should require a total haul of a trade to move up and take him. Alongside having phenomenal numbers, he passes the eye test in every sense. While he may slightly struggle in year one as he transitions to an NFL offense, he has the makeup tools to overcome it. As an ascending player, it’s hard not to see Maye as a future star in the NFL. With elite upside and a good floor, he is genuinely on par with Trevor Lawrence as a prospect. Lawrence struggled in year one, but look what happened when he got paired with a competent play-caller. If he lands somewhere like Minnesota, he’s got a good shot at becoming special.
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