Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels were both drafted shortly before Drake Maye and will have the chance to start as rookies.
Maye will most likely not get the same chance with the New England Patriots.
Jerod Mayo, the Patriots’ new head coach, has left open the possibility of Maye as the starting quarterback, but all indications are that Jacoby Brissett will be the quarterback when New England opens the regular season at the Cincinnati Bengals in just over two weeks.
Mayo said he plans to name a starter early next week and if that decision does not go in Mayo’s favour, the soon-to-be 22-year-old did not show that it would bother him.
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“I think my biggest personal goal is to win,” Maye told reporters after practice Wednesday, according to a video provided by the team. “My personal goal is to help this football team win in any way I can. Whether that means starting or helping Jacoby, my main focus is to help this team win.”
Maye would be far from the first rookie quarterback to spend most of his first NFL season watching. Of course, Tom Brady was lower on the list when he entered the NFL, and more recently, Patrick Mahomes, who the Chiefs drafted 10th overall in 2017, started just one game as a rookie.
While Maye being in the top three changes things, it looks like the Patriots are taking a patient approach with their quarterback of the future. Maye already showed improvement in the preseason, especially against the Philadelphia Eagles, but he needs to learn to wait his turn, at least for now.
“I think all scenarios are different,” Maye said. “I think you’ve seen some success with guys that play right away and some that sit. So just trust the organization, trust what the coaches are thinking and I’m just here to keep working and be ready when my name is called.”
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