Last year, the New England Patriots drafted North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye third overall. Maye came into last season as the second-string quarterback behind Jacoby Brissett.

Maye’s first NFL start came in a 41-21 loss to the Houston Texans in Week 6. The 23-year-old quarterback made 11 more starts, finishing with a 3-9 record while throwing for 2,276 yards and 15 touchdowns.

A second season for a quarterback is always critical, and that’s why the Patriots hired Josh McDaniels to be the offensive coordinator and brought in four-time Pro Bowl receiver Stefon Diggs .

Maye has the tools and players around him to take a jump in his second season, similar to other quarterbacks who have done so before, such as Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson and Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow.

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