Why Mike Vrabel compared Drake Maye to Hall-of-Fame pitcher

Drake Maye has shocked many together with his breakthrough efficiency this season in simply his second yr within the league.

Whereas the No. 3 choose within the 2024 NFL Draft showcased his potential as a playmaker final season given each his arm energy and skill to increase performs on the bottom, his consistency and accuracy was anticipated to be a piece in progress.

Tremendous-tuning these areas of the sport is usually an anticipated hurdle for a lot of younger QBs trying to discover their footing within the NFL.

However Maye has accelerated his developmental timeline in brief order this fall.

After getting knocked for 10 interceptions in 12 begins as a rookie, Maye has solely thrown 5 picks by 11 video games in 2025 — whereas additionally main the league in completion proportion (71.9 %) and rating second in yards per try (8.9 %). 

Throughout Mike Vrabel’s press convention on Wednesday, the Patriots head coach was requested whether or not it has been Maye’s personal improvement or the efforts put ahead by New England’s coaches which have led to his second-year leap.

As a part of his response, Vrabel likened Maye to Corridor-of-Fame pitcher Greg Maddux. 

“I believe most likely a bit of little bit of each,” Vrabel stated. “I believe Josh [McDaniels] and Ashton [Grant] have tried to work onerous on that. I additionally suppose Drake is gifted. It’s like a pitcher. I don’t know if there’s a pitching coach that actually taught Greg Maddux the way to paint the plate and put the ball wherever he needed it.

“So I believe there’s some pure ability there, however then I believe that they work on these issues. They work on platform and throwing off of various locations and nonetheless remaining correct. And climbing the pocket and dealing with a base and all these issues. Then there’s different occasions the place it’s simply pure athletic skill and hand-eye coordination and placing the ball in good spots.”

Maddux’s calling card on the mound was his pin-point accuracy. Regardless of solely surpassing 200 strikeouts as soon as in his 23-year MLB profession, Maddux hardly ever put himself in peril by placing males on base — recording below 50 walks in 16 of his seasons within the majors. 

Because the Patriots attempt to proceed to construct momentum down the ultimate weeks of the 2025 common season, Maye might want to proceed to keep away from errors and hold himself out of hurt’s means if this crew needs to validate itself as a real contender in a wide-open AFC.

 

Conor Ryan is a employees author protecting the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Purple Sox for Boston.com, a task he has held since 2023.