1) Maye shows off arm. Every QB’s pro day has a theme. Caleb Williams wanted to show he could throw from the pocket. J.J. McCarthy emphasized touch and placement with his throws. Jayden Daniels worked on timing and precision.
When it was North Carolina QB Drake Maye’s turn to step up for his pro-day session on Thursday, the theme appeared to be: I can make all the throws.
The 6-foot-4, 223-pound passer, who skipped throwing at the NFL Scouting Combine, attempted 70-plus passes at his pro day — at least 10 or 20 more than most QBs typically will make — showcasing the arm talent that has made him one of the top handful of prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft.
There were a few concerning misfires, but the session contained a little of everything for NFL front offices to chew on — including a lot of good. The questions surrounding him are mostly about experience and how he’ll adapt early in his pro career due to coming from an Air Raid system, but his throwing ability appears downright exciting.
“It’s a really good performance,” NFL Network’s Bucky Brooks said afterward on NFL+. “I know it’s not perfect and pro day performances, as much as we want them to be perfect, I actually am more encouraged by the misses and the corrections after the misses than anything. The talent is there. He is the prototype.”
Maye started out his script at a breakneck pace, firing passes at a far quicker rate than the other quarterback pro days we’ve seen this offseason. There were a few shorter and intermediate misses; the most concerning ones were two overthrows on out routes in the first half of the session.
Once Maye stretched things out, he shined. The arm talent shouldn’t be in question. If it was for anyone heading into today, those can now be dismissed. Maye hit on a huge “go” ball and connected beautifully with wide receiver Devontez Walker on a post route that traveled at least 60 yards in the air.
It appeared Maye veered slightly from his original script. When he missed on a pass, or there was a drop, he often redid the same route. With six or seven missed connections by my count, that pushed a 70-throw script closer to 80 passes on the day by the time Maye shortened the field and moved to the red zone to finish up.
“Just doing a full workout,” Maye told NFL+ afterward. “It was my first time really showing anybody what I’m about. Combine, didn’t do anything. Just did measurements and interviews. Really it was my first time working out for these teams. I wanted to give them ‘This is me, this is Drake Maye,’ and let it ride.”
Maye might not be Day 1-ready in some people’s minds, and it’s unclear if anything he did Thursday changed that narrative. But for Brooks, Maye’s lack of experience also can be viewed as a positive in the right light.
“Drake Maye has only played football two of the last four years,” Brooks said. “He didn’t play his final season of high school because of COVID. He didn’t play his freshman year because of the presence of Sam Howell and he redshirted. So he’s only played the last two years.
“So even though it seems that he’s an older player entering the league, he’s really a young player, which is why most would advocate for him sitting that first year to allow him to acclimate to the pro game to learn how to play at the high level while also working on some of those fundamental flaws. Everyone has to understand the background and perspective and make sure that they build a plan that meets him where he is so he can manage the expectations.”
