Drake Maye has quietly been sitting in the background stacking experience as most analysts focus on Nix, Daniels, Williams, and Penix.
Kurt Warner knows a thing or two about what it takes to win in the NFL. The former St. Louis Rams quarterback won it all in 1999, reaching the Super Bowl two additional times. Put simply, he knows what to look for.
The New England Patriots, meanwhile, are looking for the quarterback answer to fill the Tom Brady-sized hole on the team lingering since the end of the 2019 season. Plenty of analysts have given their early impressions this season. Bill Belichick has spoken out on Maye from his media perch.
Dan Orlovsky also has given his thoughts on the Patriots quarterback. However, both have seemingly not changed their mind on him. Kurt Warner has.
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Kurt Warner’s thoughts
Speaking on a December 20 edition of the “Dan Patrick Show,” NFL analyst Kurt Warner expressed his level of belief in the quarterback and how it has changed.
Warner explained: “He’s probably the biggest surprise for me of all of these guys. A lot of ups and downs his last year in college and a lot of footwork stuff and I didn’t think he saw it really quickly in college.
“I have been overly impressed since he got in there, especially with the situation. And they don’t have a lot of pieces.
“He’s not surrounded by what some of these other guys have. And he has seen the field extremely well. He’s played fast. He’s made a lot of plays and made them competitive.”
Of course, the tape has worked for Maye, but box score hawks will not like what they see.
Drake Maye’s production in 2024
The Jacoby Brissett experiment seems like a tale from a bygone age, but it does explain some of the complaints about Maye’s production. This year, Maye has thrown for 12 touchdowns, nine interceptions, and 1898 yards, per Pro Football Reference.
His win-loss might be his biggest statistic working against him at 2-7. However, his completion percentage might be his biggest tell. Maye has completed 68.5% of his passes, towering over other rookies like Bo Nix and Caleb Williams.
Keep in mind, most agree that Maye is pulling that feat off while lacking true number one and number two receivers.
Some may argue he has been checking down, but his yards per attempt average is higher than both Nix and Williams. Maye’s resume is far from perfect, but there are solid aspects to focus on. Will Maye be the surprise of 2025?
