Drake Maye Has Officially Arrived and Now the Patriots Must Catch Up

Though quarterback Drake Maye has started since early in his rookie season, Sunday marked many casual fans' first real look at the New England Patriots' newest star.

The Patriots walked out of Highmark Stadium with a stunning road win, due in no small part to Maye's ability to go play-for-play with Buffalo Bills star Josh Allen.

More than a few of Maye's Week 5 highlights were reminiscent of both the reigning MVP's ability and play style. And if Allen represents Maye's ceiling, it's time for New England to capitalize.

Maye isn't a finished product just yet, but he has officially arrived as an NFL star.

Maye and Allen are Different QBs, But the Comparison is Apt

AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar

Stefon Diggs should know as well as anyone how Allen and Maye stack up.

The 31-year-old helped the Bills QB become a star after being traded to Buffalo in 2020, and he's now helping Maye take that next step as New England's new No. 1 receiver.

Diggs was impressed with the signal-caller's performance on Sunday night, though he admitted that the second-year player needs to forge his own path.

"I saw a young quarterback take a step in the right direction," Diggs said, per ESPN's Mike Reiss. "...it's a hell of a comparison to be compared to Josh Allen. But as you come into your own, Drake Maye has to be Drake Maye."

While Maye isn't "the next Josh Allen" in any literal sense, the comparisons between the two are appropriate. Both are big (Allen is 6'5" and 237 pounds, while Maye is 6'4", 225 pounds), physical quarterbacks with a rare blend of arm talent, athleticism, and mobility.

Simply put, the two AFC East rivals can do things on the football field that other quarterbacks physically cannot.

While the Patriots haven't used Maye on designed runs quite as much as the Bills have used Allen this year, both are capable runners who can keep a defense off-balance.

Maye, for what it's worth, actually averaged more rushing yards per game than Allen a year ago.

Both quarterbacks also possess an ability to drive the football down the field with an almost effortless delivery. This allows them to attempt throws other QBs wouldn't try, which opens up all areas of the field in the passing game.

Allen, as even the most casual fan has come to learn, can do virtually anything Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady might ask of him. Maye might not be at that point yet, but the physical tools have always been there.

Maye Was Always an Elite Draft Prospect

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Drake Maye poses with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on April 25, 2024

Entering last year's draft, Maye was largely overshadowed by Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels.

There were a few reasons for this, starting with the fact that Williams was widely viewed as a generational talent, while Daniels and Williams were the two most recent Heisman Trophy winners.

Maye, meanwhile, was a lesser-known QB prospect from North Carolina, a school that isn't widely considered an NFL quarterback factory. His numbers had also leveled off a bit in 2023, following an impressive 2022 campaign.

However, the 23-year-old entered the predraft process oozing NFL potential and ultimately became the top signal-caller on the Bleacher Report Scouting Department's final 2024 draft board.

The main knock on Maye—which was similar to the negatives on Allen's draft profiles—was that he was a relatively raw prospect who too often tried to do too much because of his physical ability.

Derrik Klassen wrote the following for the B/R Scouting Department ahead of the 2024 draft:

"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."

It wasn't hard to look at where Allen was in 2024, how he had improved since being a promising but unpolished 2018 rookie, and then see the vision for what Maye could be in the NFL.

The Patriots certainly saw it, and they've seen Maye become an immediate difference-maker.

Maye is Figuring it Out Faster Than Allen Did

AP Photo/Adrian Kraus

Here's what should really excite Patriots fans. While there's no guarantee that Maye will become the same game-changer that Allen is (few quarterbacks are), Maye is working out the NFL game more quickly than Allen did.

That shouldn't be surprising.

While Maye didn't come from a major college program, Allen was a legitimate small-school prospect coming out of Wyoming. His supporting cast in college wasn't great, which hindered his development.

NFL Media's Lance Zierlein wrote the following in Allen's pre-draft bio:

"Allen's receivers struggled to separate, but there were plenty of times where his lack of anticipation and post-snap plan did him in. Allen can make some truly special throws, but his ability to improve the mental part of his game will determine whether he's a good NFL starter or just another big, strong-armed guy."

For his first couple of seasons, a "big, strong-armed guy" was exactly what Allen was. He posted a QB rating of just 67.9 as a rookie and 85.3 in 2019 while essentially learning how to play quarterback on the fly. He would make jaw-dropping plays but also make baffling mistakes while trying to play hero ball.

Maye, meanwhile, was more developed as a passer coming out of college and was a Pro Bowl alternate as a rookie. He's been even better this season, showing the ability to throw with touch and anticipation in addition to pure strength.

Of course, the Patriots have taken steps to speed up Maye's development, potentially putting him a step ahead of Allen on their respective quarterback timelines.

New England's 2025 Offseason Was Huge

AP Photo/Charles Krupa

Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel and OC Josh McDaniels

Allen didn't have his breakout Pro Bowl campaign until his third season, which was the year Buffalo paired him with Diggs.

However, the Bills QB didn't really start to enter the MVP conversation until 2022, when the team added standout running back James Cook. He took another step in 2023 after Joe Brady took over during the season as offensive coordinator.

While Allen made his second and third career Pro Bowls in 2022 and 2023, he had his best (and MVP) season in 2024. Though Buffalo had moved on from Diggs by that point, a strong running game and Brady's balanced offense helped Allen become a more efficient quarterback.

Allen still possessed the physical ability to take over a game with his legs or arm, and Brady would lean on that if necessary. However, the QB started playing within structure more than ever before, which helped him cut down on the Superman moments, the forced passes and the turnovers.

After throwing 18 interceptions in 2023 and at least 10 interceptions in each of the previous four seasons, Allen had only six in 2024. He also saw his lost fumbles fall from four in 2023 to two in 2024.

New England followed Buffalo's blueprint for Allen by adding Diggs, but it didn't stop there.

Throughout his career, Allen has benefited from having a steady head coach in Sean McDermott. The Patriots believe they found stability after replacing Jerod Mayo with Mike Vrabel this past offseason.

They've also tried to support Maye with a top-notch ground game by partnering Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson with rookie second-round pick TreVeyon Henderson—Henderson may not be getting the ball enough, but that's a different argument.

Perhaps most importantly, New England got Maye an experienced, creative play-caller in Josh McDaniels. He's already helping the QB become a more efficient and effective passer.

Through five weeks, Maye has completed 73.9 percent of his passes with a 107.8 quarterback rating. He's seen his interception rate drop from three percent in 2024 to 1.3 percent, his touchdown rate jump from 4.4 percent to 4.6 percent and his yards per attempt average go from 6.7 to 8.2.

Maye is already playing like a top-10 quarterback in the NFL, which is part of the challenge in becoming an MVP candidate. The other part? MVPs usually come from championship-caliber teams.

The Patriots' Next Step Is Obvious

AP Photo/Charles Krupa

Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf

The Patriots have their quarterback, which means their playoff window has officially opened. New England needs to begin building its roster accordingly.

The reason why Allen, Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson have consistently been MVP contenders is that their respective teams, when healthy, have been among the best in football.

Building a championship-caliber roster takes work, and while finding an elite quarterback is a huge part of the puzzle, it's not the only piece. Without a strong offensive line and a functional defense, you're the Cincinnati Bengals instead of the Bills, Philadelphia Eagles or Kansas City Chiefs.

Adding Diggs was a good first step, but the Patriots should add another high-end pass-catcher to pair with him and tight end Hunter Henry—Allen now enjoys a list of targets that includes Cook, Keon Coleman, Joshua Palmer, Khalil Shakir, Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox.

New England might want to see if a player such as Jakobi Meyers or David Njoku is available before the November 4 trade deadline. Maybe it starts with targeting a rising 2026 draft prospect like Ohio State's Carnell Tate. One way or another, though, the Patriots need to add playmakers.

They should also continue working on an offensive line that has allowed 17 sacks through five games. Good linemen are rarely available via trade, but it's not too early to evaluate 2026 prospects who could become long-term building blocks alongside rookies Will Campbell and Jared Wilson.

New England can't ignore its defense, either.

The Patriots currently rank 10th in points allowed, and offseason additions like Milton Williams and Carlton Davis have the defense trending in the right direction. Adding another playmaker or two, however, would help tremendously.

Specifically, the Patriots could use pass rush help, as they're tied for 14th in the NFL with 11 sacks through five games. Might a standout like Maxx Crosby or Kayvon Thibodeaux be available via trade? It's worth finding out. Impending 2026 free agents like Trey Hendrickson and Malcolm Koonce should already be on New England's radar.

New England currently leads the NFL with $54.3 million in cap space, and it's projected to have $64.9 million available next year.

The Patriots have a strong foundation, due, in large part, to Maye's presence and rapid development. If they want to maximize their window with Maye on a rookie deal, they need to make some bold moves sooner rather than later.