Despite not yet taking a snap in training camp, New England Patriots' rookie quarterback Drake Maye has apparently already won over the locker room.
Former Pats safety Devin McCourty appeared on The Rich Eisen Show on Tuesday and shed light on the team's belief in the third overall draft pick. His insight was in response to Eisen asking about Maye's ability to succeed in the NFL.
"I think high," McCourty answered. "And I think what's interesting right now is there's this big, intense love for him right now. Not just from the front office and the people in the building, but from the players. I think that is something over the last few years since (Tom) Brady left has been a little bit of a roller coaster...
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"I think Drake Maye now comes in to fill the future void that they had there. A guy that everybody can believe in, a guy that the organization can say, 'Hey, this is our guy, he's gonna lead us, he's gonna be the frontrunner, he's gonna be in front of everybody.' And I think the biggest part of that is that the guys in the locker room truly believe in that."
McCourty's answer indicates Maye impressed his teammates with his rapid improvement during last month's minicamp. The North Carolina product also boasts a high football IQ, as seen in a recent Hard Knocks clip from his pre-draft visit with the New York Giants. In the clip, Maye showed off his advanced understanding of different formations and pass routes.
"I get excited, because I think that's the hardest part of playing quarterback," McCourty said. "I think nowadays you see so many quarterbacks that have this unbelievable talent whether it's being able to run, whether it's having this great arm talent. ... It doesn't mean anything until you can go into a huddle or sit in front of a board or get on the field and deliver in two-minute situations or on third down over and over again. ...
"I think when you watch Drake Maye do that as a young guy coming into the league and being able to do that and process things pretty fast, you get excited. You see that and you're like, 'All right, that's what I want my quarterback to have.' Yeah, I want him to have those other attributes, but your brain and how you can operate and how you can see things and adjust and move quickly, I think that's what the NFL is truly about."
According to Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo, Maye will have every opportunity in training camp to overtake veteran Jacoby Brissett as the team's Week 1 quarterback. The team will take the fields behind Gillette Stadium for their first camp practice Wednesday at 11 a.m. ET.
