Kiper: Drake Maye Would Be 'Home Run' for Patriots in NFL Draft amid McCarthy Rumors

Amid questions of whether the New England Patriots will take Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy in the draft, ESPN's Mel Kiper said that drafting Maye would be a "home run."

"If you handle Maye properly, handle McCarthy properly, I think you're going to have a solid quarterback," Kiper said on The Next Pats Podcast Friday. "I think the guy that has the chance to be great out of those two is Maye. McCarthy could be solid, not a bust. So I think you look at it a little differently. If you want to hit the home run, you take Drake Maye."

While Maye has been viewed widely as a top-three lock in the upcoming draft, McCarthy has emerged as a bit of a wild card that could end up being one of the first quarterbacks off the board. Who New England will take on a draft night is still up in the air, but Kiper believes Maye is the right choice.

In 2023, Maye had 3,608 passing yards, 24 touchdowns and nine interceptions for North Carolina. Bleacher Report's Scouting Department considers him to be the No. 3 overall prospect and the No. 1 quarterback in the draft class.

In Bleacher Report's latest mock draft, Maye is projected to land with the Chicago Bears with the No. 1 overall pick. If the Bears decide to take Maye, that could leave New England with Caleb Williams or Jayden Daniels, though McCarthy would likely still be on the board as well.

McCarthy, who started two seasons at Michigan, had 2,991 passing yards, 22 touchdowns and just four interceptions in 2023, leading the Wolverines to a national championship. While his numbers don't stand out as much as Maye's, his stock has risen in the months leading up to the draft. According to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, one AFC scout even called McCarthy a "super athlete" after his pro day on Monday.

McCarthy is the No. 33 overall prospect and the No. 4 quarterback in the draft class according to Bleacher Report's Scouting Department. The latest mock draft projects him to land with the Minnesota Vikings at No. 11.

It's clear at this point that the Patriots are looking to take a quarterback, but which one they will select is the big question heading into the draft.