Yearly with the NFL Draft cycle, media tends to overthink sure gamers, particularly quarterbacks. The lengthy break between the NFL Mix and NFL Draft give us an excessive amount of time to take a seat and fall for the play motion that’s NFL Draft smokescreens and overthought.
This yr the NFL has determined to overthink North Carolina QB Drake Maye, who has been QB2 (or QB1A in my eyes) all through many of the NFL Draft cycle, however then began to slide. With Michigan QB JJ McCarthy starting to rise within the eyes of NFL entrance places of work, Maye might fall to QB4 on this class.
Make no mistake about it, although: Maye is a particular QB prospect who’s arguably the most effective suited to begin instantly after USC’s Caleb Williams.
One of many first issues that stand out about Maye is his downfield aggression throwing the ball. He’s received top-shelf arm expertise, and the aggression to make all of the throws downfield. In 2023, Maye’s 76 passing makes an attempt of over 20 air yards is second among the many consensus prime six QBs (Maye, Williams, McCarthy, LSU’s Jayden Daniels, Oregon’s Bo Nix and Washington’s Michael Penix Jr.). Of these 76 passes, his 34 On-Goal throws of over 20 air yards can be second in among the many consensus prime QB prospects. Maye is greater than keen to indicate off the lengthy ball, and may drop passes within the bucket testing defenses vertically.
Maye is an efficient processor, and when he sees one-on-one protection downfield, he takes his dwelling run swing. This helps him lots towards Quarters protection, the place the corners might be remoted with the safeties taking part in any route by the second receiver within the slot. On this landing to WR Tez Walker, Miami is in Quarters. With how low the security was taking part in, Maye knew he might get this large submit in over the security’s head with the CB taking part in exterior leverage. Maye takes a peek over to his left, will get his toes set in no rush, and locations a dime proper into Walker’s fingers for the landing. Take a look at how straightforward and clean this course of is, and the ball jumps out of Maye’s hand:
Right here, Maye is working off play motion, on a Tremendous sail idea (exterior receiver runs a go, slot runs a giant nook route). Maye will get his toes a bit an excessive amount of below him on this idea which slows up the ball popping out, however he irons it out and delivers a giant play downfield. That’s translatable to the NFL degree, particularly off the run motion.
Now, let’s speak in regards to the footwork a bit of bit. The rationale that Maye has slipped in folks’s eyes is because of the inconsistent footwork, the little inefficiencies that separate a go hitting a receiver in stride vs overstriding and crusing the go. Maye’s footwork isn’t unhealthy, per se. It’s simply extra “vibey”, which inserts the Air Raid offense he operated below first Phil Longo, then Chip Lindsay whereas at North Carolina. Longo has spoken extensively in regards to the drops he teaches to his QBs, ones that see them use extra of a backpedal than a dropback that you just sometimes see from quarterbacks.
Whereas this helps within the RPO and fast recreation, in customary dropbacks the toes can get a bit of … wonky to say the least. That’s as a result of there appears to be lots of crossover in Maye’s footwork, creating lots of wasted motion within the passing recreation. Within the fast recreation it’s superb, as a result of it’s only a level and shoot. Nevertheless, within the dropback passing recreation, the toes can get a bit of tangled. Take this rep from the 2022 bowl recreation towards Oregon. Maye has the sail route open, however watch his toes the whole time. He clicks his heels and has to get his toes below him, which trigger him to sail this go. Not a serious purple flag, however a fixable crack within the armor.
Quick ahead to 2023, and a few of the footwork stuff has cleaned up a bit of bit, however the heel clickiness nonetheless form of stays. This rep towards NC State reveals a few of the heel clicking when he strikes to his proper to hit this throw. He clicks and crosses his toes over, and the go finally ends up crusing once more.
Towards Georgia Tech, this go on the dig will get skipped partially as a result of his left guard will get pushed to Decatur (extra on that later), however Maye will get uneven along with his toes and may’t get a great throwing base, and finally ends up lacking. The method is sweet, the execution is just a bit bit off. Once more, very fixable as a result of he greater than probably could have higher coordinators and a greater line, however price mentioning.
Now, you’re most likely questioning, “if the footwork is so wonky, why is he your QB 1A”?
And to that, I’d say that’s a wonderful query.
My reply for that’s Maye has the flexibility to create in ways in which we see the most effective younger stars on the QB place within the NFL create from the pocket and in scramble drills. Maye is adept at managing the pocket and creating home windows to get throws off, and has lots of golf golf equipment in his bag towards strain. In that very same NC State recreation from 2023, Maye has some superior passes towards strain. This one is considered one of my favorites. On third and three, NC State brings the home, a Cowl 0 blitz. Maye has a slant to his proper facet, however the free runners are coming from that manner.
Maye calmly slides to his left to create the throwing window essential to get this go off, and fires a strike for the primary down. That is essential as a result of not each play goes to have the ability to be made by free wheeling and profitable exterior the pocket. We see guys like CJ Stroud and Jordan Love start their phenomenal careers by determining methods to win from the pocket below strain, and their potential to create home windows with their arm and pocket motion are going for use because the prototype for a younger QB. Maye has that, partially as a result of he wanted to to ensure that the offense to do something resembling success. The Tar Heel offensive line was extra offensive to the eyes than something profitable, and the talent place expertise ran cold and hot. It was typically on Maye to make it work, and when he did, it appeared stellar.
He can also do that, which is fairly cool. Maye’s recreation has been in comparison with guys like Justin Herbert, and sure they’re very comparable, however I feel Maye has a bit extra recklessness to his recreation than the Chargers’ sign caller.
One other factor that makes me imagine that Maye could be a QB a franchise can begin instantly is his ball placement. Even when the outcomes don’t equal up, he’s placing his receivers in the most effective place to catch the ball. His potential to layer throws downfield, whereas preserving his guys secure is properly past a QB his age. This throw towards NC State wasn’t caught, however you may see the flashes of ball placement and the choice right here. Maye has to maintain his man out of putting distance of the only security in Cowl 3, however have a look at how he leads his man to the bottom, defending him from a defender desirous to go viral. Nice course of, with a greater consequence on the subsequent degree (hopefully).
Watch from the endzone angle, Maye is aware of precisely what he’s doing right here, and the go is precisely the place he needs it to be. I can stay with this.
The ball placement reveals up within the purple zone, the place he has greater than sufficient arm power to suit passes into tight home windows, however the placement and accuracy to maintain defenders away. It is a nice TD throw towards Oregon, one which reveals he can do that at an NFL degree.
Whereas Maye has his blemishes, there’s nothing there that an NFL coach can’t amend. Nevertheless, I’d go one step additional and say that Maye can begin from Day 1 in the precise system. I’m not saying that footwork will not be an issue, however it’s one thing that I’m greater than keen to let a QB be taught and modify as he will get stay recreation reps. Very similar to the Anthony Richardson dialog final yr, Maye has the instruments to begin instantly, in a system suited to his strengths.
