1) Maye reveals off arm. Each QB’s professional day has a theme. Caleb Williams wished to indicate he might throw from the pocket. J.J. McCarthy emphasised contact and placement along with his throws. Jayden Daniels labored on timing and precision.
When it was North Carolina QB Drake Maye’s flip to step up for his pro-day session on Thursday, the theme gave the impression to be: I could make all of the throws.
The 6-foot-4, 223-pound passer, who skipped throwing on the NFL Scouting Mix, tried 70-plus passes at his professional day — no less than 10 or 20 greater than most QBs usually will make — showcasing the arm expertise that has made him one of many high handful of prospects within the 2024 NFL Draft.
There have been a couple of regarding misfires, however the session contained just a little of the whole lot for NFL entrance places of work to chew on — together with loads of good. The questions surrounding him are largely about expertise and the way he’ll adapt early in his professional profession as a result of coming from an Air Raid system, however his throwing skill seems downright thrilling.
“It is a actually good efficiency,” NFL Community’s Bucky Brooks mentioned afterward on NFL+. “I do know it isn’t good and professional day performances, as a lot as we wish them to be good, I truly am extra inspired by the misses and the corrections after the misses than something. The expertise is there. He’s the prototype.”
Maye began out his script at a breakneck tempo, firing passes at a far faster fee than the opposite quarterback professional days we have seen this offseason. There have been a couple of shorter and intermediate misses; probably the most regarding ones have been two overthrows on out routes within the first half of the session.
As soon as Maye stretched issues out, he shined. The arm expertise should not be in query. If it was for anybody heading into right this moment, these can now be dismissed. Maye hit on an enormous “go” ball and related fantastically with vast receiver Devontez Walker on a submit route that traveled no less than 60 yards within the air.
It appeared Maye veered barely from his authentic script. When he missed on a move, or there was a drop, he typically redid the identical route. With six or seven missed connections by my rely, that pushed a 70-throw script nearer to 80 passes on the day by the point Maye shortened the sector and moved to the pink zone to complete up.
“Simply doing a full exercise,” Maye informed NFL+ afterward. “It was my first time actually displaying anyone what I am about. Mix, did not do something. Simply did measurements and interviews. Actually it was my first time understanding for these groups. I wished to provide them ‘That is me, that is Drake Maye,’ and let it experience.”
Maye may not be Day 1-ready in some folks’s minds, and it is unclear if something he did Thursday modified that narrative. However for Brooks, Maye’s lack of expertise additionally could be considered as a optimistic in the correct gentle.
“Drake Maye has solely performed soccer two of the final 4 years,” Brooks mentioned. “He did not play his remaining season of highschool due to COVID. He did not play his freshman yr due to the presence of Sam Howell and he redshirted. So he is solely performed the final two years.
“So although it appears that evidently he is an older participant coming into the league, he is actually a younger participant, which is why most would advocate for him sitting that first yr to permit him to acclimate to the professional recreation to discover ways to play on the excessive degree whereas additionally engaged on a few of these elementary flaws. Everybody has to know the background and perspective and ensure that they construct a plan that meets him the place he’s so he can handle the expectations.”