Patriots Should Unleash Drake Maye in One Key Area, According to ESPN’s QB Expert

Patriots Should Unleash Drake Maye in One Key Area, According to ESPN’s QB Expert originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The NFL is in a strong place when it comes to starting quarterbacks. Now more than ever, it feels like there’s an abundance of talented signal callers across the league. The position is getting younger, too, as a legion of young and talented quarterbacks is entering the league looking to make an immediate impact at the hardest position in sports.

One team that has benefited from the influx of quarterback talent in recent seasons is the New England Patriots. After cutting ties with former first-round pick Mac Jones, who struggled to cement himself as a franchise quarterback in New England, the Patriots drafted Drake Maye with the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Maye started in 12 games in his rookie season, completing 66.6% of his passes for 2276 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions while showing glimpses of high-end talent. The former North Carolina quarterback enters his second season in better circumstances. The Patriots have improved their offensive ecosystem, and one ESPN analyst believes that unleashing Maye in one key area could see him take the league by storm in 2025.

In an article where he ranked NFL quarterbacks by traits such as accuracy, arm strength, and more, ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky ranked Drake Maye in the ninth spot for second-reaction ability. Orlovsky quantified second-reaction ability as the ability to make something happen when the play is dead in the water, and according to the quarterback expert, Maye is one of the best in the league at making things happen under ominous circumstances.

“Nix surprised a lot of people with his effectiveness in this category in 2024, and I'm watching for Maye to show what he can do here in 2025.” Orlovsky writes.

Maye flashed his rushing ability in 2024, carrying the ball 54 times for 421 yards and two touchdowns, while averaging an excellent 7.8 yards per carry. That rushing upside is an extension of his know-how to make things happen on second-reaction plays, and Orlovsky believes that the Patriots should lean into his electric traits.

“The Patriots would be smart to let Maye loose on these types of plays, especially because they improved his supporting cast. Having better playmakers means it's more likely someone gets open late in the down.” Orlovsky adds.

Related: Patriots Get Brutal News on Training Camp Standout, Updates on Other Key Players

The Patriots' front office was aggressive in free agency and the draft, adding a wealth of playmaking talent, including Stefon Diggs, Kyle Williams, TreVeyon Henderson, and Mack Hollins, as well as improving the offensive line. All of those additions put Maye in a much better position to succeed in 2025.

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 11, 2025, where it first appeared.