Patriots coach Jerod Mayo addresses Bill Belichick’s criticism of Drake Maye: ‘He’s going to compete’
Bill Belichick had a strong opinion of the New England Patriots No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye on draft night, and current head coach Jerod Mayo does not entirely disagree.
The veteran coach took issue with the former North Carolina quarterback’s own comparisons to Josh Allen, and he expressed concern over his lack of experience and the need for improvement.
Drake Maye, left, poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected third overall by the New England Patriots during the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft at Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza on April 25, 2024 in Detroit. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
“Drake compares himself a lot to Josh Allen, he’s been doing that for quite a while – we’ll see about that,” Belichick said on “The Pat McAfee Show” draft night special last week. “I think there are some similarities in terms of size and athleticism, but Josh Allen is a pretty special player now.”
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“A very talented kid, good size, runs well, has a good arm – just, he hasn’t played very much. He really doesn’t have a lot of experience.”
“He’s gonna need some work in reading defenses, reading coverages,” Belichick added. “This is a kid that can make all the throws, he just needs to be more consistent.”
Mayo was asked about Belichick’s comments during an appearance on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show” on Monday, and while he did not entirely agree with his assessment, Mayo did agree that no quarterback taken in the draft will be ready to go in their rookie season.
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, left, at his introductory press conference at Gillette Stadium. (John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
“We understand the player on and off the field. We understand that none of these guys are perfect,” Mayo said. “None of these quarterbacks are coming in here ready to play. I actually think coach [Belichick] said that – the only player that he knows that was ready to play once they came into the league was Lawrence Taylor.”
Mayo was referencing recent comments Belichick made about the Giants legend who he said was the only rookie drafted that had an immediate impact on the field.
“It’s very hard to sit here and say, ‘Alright, this guy’s going to play,’” Mayo continued. “What I will say is he’s going to compete. We have a solid quarterback room, in our opinion, and they’re going to compete and the best player will play.”
Jerod Mayo of the New England Patriots looks on before a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on Oct. 15, 2023 in Las Vegas. (Chris Unger/Getty Images)
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After trading away Mac Jones, the Patriots are now dealing with an overcrowded quarterback room. In addition to drafting Maye, the Patriots picked up former Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III in the sixth round of the NFL draft.
The two rookies join the group led by veteran Jacoby Brissett, who signed in March, Bailey Zappe and Nathan Rourke.
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