Colin Cowherd outlines major problem with Drake Maye ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
Drake Maye suddenly became one of the most polarizing prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft. The North Carolina quarterback was always thought of as a high pick, but suddenly, plenty of analysts are looking at Jayden Daniels and J. J. McCarthy ahead of him, which is incredible to see.
Colin Cowherd is one of those who thinks Maye isn't as good as one might think, especially as his 2023 season wasn't on par with what he showed the year before. During his show The Herd on Tuesday, he highlighted his major problem with the North Carolina quarterback: his production.
But that's one of the things I have a problem with Drake Maye and a little bit with J. J. McCarthy. Caleb Williams, Bo Nix, Michael Penix: 300-yard game, 300-yard game, highly productive.
If you have otherworldly physical traits that I've never seen before, that can't be duplicated, then I'm willing to pull back on the production. Drake Maye is big, but he's not unique physically. He's 6'4" 220. That's that's pretty standard. But he's not consistent. So if you're just the same size, a prototype guy, you got to be productive.
Drake Maye, in the last couple of years against ranked opponents - Clemson, Oregon, Miami -, he- was 1-2. Okay, fine, they didn't have the personnel. But he completed 55% of his throws. That's terrible.
Is it fair to put Drake Maye behind Jayden Daniels and J. J. McCarthy?
Absolutely not. The North Carolina quarterback had to deal with a major loss of personnel after the 2022 season, and even his coaching staff underwent major changes.
While production is important, it should never be too important, especially as you're evaluating quarterback prospects. Jayden Daniels was far and away the best college football quarterback in 2023, but looking through the lens of an NFL scout, it's difficult to put more stock on him than Maye.
Teams who pass the North Carolina quarterback might regret the wasted opportunity rather sooner than later. He's not as athletically gifted, but he's a great prospect who can complete throws all over the field and has great accuracy. That's already better than Daniels (who has a slim frame) or McCarthy (weak arm) can give you on a consistent basis.