"Got the chance to swing the golf club": UNC's Drake Maye shares "cool experience" from Commanders visit ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
Former UNC football star QB Drake Maye visited the Washington Commanders' camp ahead of the NFL Draft and seemed pleased with the experience.
In an interview with This Is Football`s Kevin Clark, Maye said:
"It was one of the cooler visits I`ve ever been on. You always typically go and see, (we go to a) steak dinner spot and you're surrounded with the head coach, GM and quarterback coaches. The Commanders took the approach of all of us being together and seeing how we interacted. I got the chance to swing the golf club a little bit."
The quarterback further added:
"I enjoyed it. Being around the other guys, got to meet a lot of different guys throughout the process. A lot of guys that I saw in high school during recruitment. I remember Amarius Mims, tried to get him to commit to Alabama when I was committed there in high school so full circle. ... It was a really cool experience for me."
The 6-foot-4 signal-caller from Huntersville, NC wasn't the only one invited to the golf trip. Michigan QB and national champion J.J. McCarthy joined the group, along with Jayden Daniels of LSU (via Bleacher Report).
McCarthy, Daniels, and Maye are three of the top QB prospects in the upcoming NFL Draft. While it may not sound like protocol, Washington has been using these golf trips to interview potential draftees, unlike other NFL teams who follow the traditional way.
As per the report, Commanders GM Adam Peters launched this unorthodox approach based on his days with the San Francisco 49ers. The goal is to make things different and fresh, as players are likely to expect routine-style interviews at this point before the draft.
Who will pick Drake Maye in the draft?
The Washington Commaders' strong interest in Drake Maye suggests they may choose him as soon as he`s available. ESPN`s Mike Tannenbaum believes that the Tar Heels QB is the better pick for Washington instead of Jayden Daniels:
“Look, Jayden Daniels had a great year, but he also has 488 career rushing attempts," Tannenbaum said (via On3). "I worry about his build and his ability to take a lot of hits. You look at someone like Drake Maye, a little bit bigger, more rugged. He reminds me of Justin Herbert, and he also had 16 rushing touchdowns over the last two seasons.”
Currently, Washington holds the second overall pick, making Maye a likely candidate after USC`s Caleb Williams, as per recent mock drafts (via PFF). However, if Maye is still available after the first two picks, he could potentially be selected by the New England Patriots with the third overall pick.