The 2024 NFL Draft saw Drake Maye being picked third overall by the New England Patriots after the ex-HC, Jerod Mayo, saw what the nation saw in 2022. The University of North Carolina student had rocked the world in his freshman year, taking home the ACC Player of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and Offensive Rookie of the Year awards, becoming only the second player in ACC history to sweep all four.

The rookie season with the Patriots saw the former Tar Heel throw for 2,276 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. He did all that with practically no help from the offensive line. After all, he was sacked 34 times last season, 13th-most in the NFL. So, those numbers, despite those hits, tell you that it’s no wonder he’ll be the franchise QB of the Patriots next season. This is a special player with the potential to lead a team deep into the playoffs.

Any young buck with dreams of playing in the NFL should take a close, hard look at Drake Maye. And now guess what? There’s a chance for the next-gen to learn the Mayes’ traits. For kids aged 6-16, you’re in luck, because Maye just made a huge announcement on Instagram.

The 22-year-old will be hosting 3 youth camps this summer. One in New Hampshire and the other two in Massachusetts. He unveiled this with the caption: “Can’t wait to get out there on the field, let’s have some fun🔥.” This will surely be a special event, and all in all, sports parents and kids alike are buzzing with excitement.

This isn’t the first time Maye has played his part in the community, as he has hosted a youth camp before. The New England Patriots’ YouTube channel has shared some videos of the interactions and highlights of the camp. One comment said, “Playing football with Drake Maye is a memory these kids will be able to share for the rest of their lives.” Maye is a natural leader with a crazy good hand. Who wouldn’t thrive under his guidance?

Building the team around Drake Maye

The New England Patriots have been busy so far during the offseason. Now that they have a quality QB in Maye, they need a strong support that can protect him. For that, they brought in veterans RT Morgan Moses and former Vikings center Garrett Bradbury in free agency. The Patriots even went so far as to pick 4th overall, Will Campbell, in the 2025 NFL Draft. They also needed to up their run game, so they brought in wide receivers Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins. Both are solid options to receive the ball. The team is slowly coming together with Maye as the leader.

“He’s a leader. He has that kind of ‘oomph’ to him,” said RB Rhamondre Stevenson, and even Josh McDaniels felt the need to chime in, “He’s doing a really good job of digesting the information… and going out there with a great attitude and mindset the next day.” When these sorts of claims are coming from the offensive lineup, Patriots fans have much to look forward to next season. And if that doesn’t get you excited enough, newly drafted Campbell told the NFL Network back in April, “I’m going to fight and die to protect him(Maye).”

There is a buzz around the Gilette Stadium, and Drake Maye is at the center of it all. Mike Vrabel even said that he is a natural-born leader with room to grow. While there are many expectations put on Drake, let us remind you that he is only 22 and his potential is on the roof. While the Pats might not go all in this season, we are definitely in the green area in terms of improvement. Drake and his ability to lead the team hold the key to how far they will go in the 2025 season.