Chasing Jayden Daniels is still ‘in the back’ of Drake Maye’s mind

FOXBOROUGH – It took a horrendous season and a stroke of luck to land Drake Maye in Foxborough with the Patriots.

With Washington’s Jayden Daniels on the town for a joint observe and Friday evening’s preseason opener, it’s honest to surprise simply how completely different the Patriots’ luck may’ve been in the event that they hadn’t crushed the Payments in Jerod Mayo’s ultimate sport as head coach.

Daniels and Maye had been chosen back-to-back in final 12 months’s draft. The Commanders grabbed Daniels at No. 2, and the Patriots snagged Maye at No. 3. Chicago’s Caleb Williams, in fact, was the No. 1 total choose.

An additional loss for the Patriots might have shaken up the draft order. Maye loved a strong rookie season, making the Professional Bowl as an alternate after sitting for a number of video games at the start of the season because the teaching workers decided what to do with him.

However, Daniels was on one other stage. He helped flip the Commanders’ fortunes, taking them from 4-13 to 12-5 with an look within the NFC title sport in a single season. He completed seventh within the MVP voting after throwing for 3,568 yards and 25 touchdowns in opposition to 9 interceptions.

“I noticed him on the market. I congratulated him. What a 12 months he had,” Maye stated. “I feel there’s at all times at the back of your thoughts the draft class you got here in with, and anytime you play him, particularly, it’s a little bit completely different.”

There’s lots of optimism surrounding the Patriots this 12 months because the franchise makes an attempt to dig itself out of the opening left by back-to-back four-win seasons and a pair of fired head coaches.

Maye is a giant a part of that. He dealt with Wednesday’s joint observe nicely, making robust selections and correct throws. The Patriots moved the ball effectively via the air with a number of massive positive factors from DeMario Douglas, a highlight-reel catch from Kayshon Boutte, and a landing on a display screen to Antonio Gibson, amongst different performs.

The second-year Patriots quarterback, behind what seems to be an improved offensive line, bought off to a powerful begin in New England’s first joint observe of the summer season.

Making a convention championship sport appears unlikely for New England this season, however Maye is making strides and it confirmed whereas he was competing in opposition to Daniels’s Commanders.

“Simply making an attempt to fret about myself, however on the finish of the day, sustain with these guys,’ Maye stated. “These guys are – him and Caleb [Williams] and Bo [Nix], these guys are good buddies of mine, they usually’re buddies till we play one another.”

Khari A. Thompson

Sports activities Reporter

Khari Thompson covers skilled sports activities for Boston.com. Earlier than becoming a member of the staff in 2022, Khari coated faculty soccer for The Clarion Ledger in Jackson, Miss.