UNC's Drake Maye Declares for 2024 NFL Draft; No. 1 QB on B/R's Big Board

UNC quarterback and potential No. 1 overall NFL draft pick Drake Maye has announced that he will be going pro:

ESPN's Pete Thamel initially reported the news:

The 6'4", 230-pound Maye is a redshirt sophomore out of Charlotte, North Carolina.

He became a collegiate superstar during his first year as UNC's starter in 2022, amassing 45 total touchdowns (38 passing, seven rushing) and completing 66.2 percent of his passes for 4,321 yards (8.4 YPA). He also rushed for 698 yards.

Maye followed that campaign up with 33 total touchdowns (24 passing, nine rushing) and a 63.3 percent completion rate for 3,608 passing yards this year. He also rushed for 449 yards.

The latest NFL draft big board (Nov. 29) from the B/R NFL Scouting Department places Maye at No. 3 overall in the class of 2024 and first among quarterbacks. He's received a grade of 9.3 out of 10, behind only Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (9.7) and Georgia tight end Brock Bowers (9.3). The scouting department called Maye the most pro-ready and most accurate passer in the draft class.

B/R's Derrik Klassen provided this note on Maye in his scouting report.

"Overall, Maye is a supremely talented passer. He has the athleticism, arm talent and baseline processing skills to become a weapon at the next level. All he needs to do is cut out some of the 'doing too much' plays. Maye has the skill set to fit in any system and develop into a star."

Maye looks like a potential superstar based on his two seasons at school. He'll undoubtedly be selected at or near the top of the upcoming NFL draft. The question at this point is whether he'll be No. 1 overall as the debate among analysts between him and USC's Caleb Williams figures to dominate pre-draft talk all winter and spring.