There is an inordinate amount of attention paid to the quarterback position in the NFL. Organizations' fascination with assessing pro prospects escalates year after year as the money invested into the position increases.
These college quarterbacks endure countless assessments scrutinizing their arm strength, height, weight, athleticism, throwing motion, hand size…you get the point.
Ultimately, teams will settle on which metrics matter most and make a franchise-changing decision they hope is the right one.
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So, is North Carolina’s Drake Maye worthy of franchise consideration for the Bears? This player profile lists some observations about Maye and his potential in Chicago. Let's explore.
Name
Drake Maye (QB) / North Carolina (R-SO) *Redshirt
Measurables
Bears News
6’4” 220 lbs / 4.65 40-time
Accolades
2022 Third-Team All-American (PFF); ACC Player of the Year; ACC Offensive Player of the Year; First-Team All-ACC; ACC Rookie of the Year; ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year; Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year; Freshman of the Year (FWAA); Freshman All-American (FWAA); Maxwell Award Semifinalist; Davey O’Brien Award Semifinalist
Best Game
Last season was Maye’s first as the team’s primary starting quarterback, and he performed at a Heisman-like level.
During the 2022 campaign, Maye’s best performance might have been against the Pitt Panthers. Trailing the Panthers by three points entering the fourth quarter, Maye led his fellow Tar Hills on three defining drives, winning an important conference game in late October.
Maye’s two fourth-quarter touchdown passes highlight an impressive stat line against the then-24th-ranked Panthers. By game’s end, Maye completed 77.3 percent of his passes for 388 yards and five aerial scores with 61 rushing yards and zero turnovers.
What They’re Saying About Him
“When we played zone, he was on the money, and then on his deep balls he didn’t overthrow anybody. He gave everybody a chance. That’s a high-draftable quarterback.”- Dino Babers, Syracuse Head Coach, on CitrusTV.com.
Skill Set
Maye possesses many of the prototypical physical attributes most NFL scouts covet in franchise potential quarterbacks. Standing six-foot-four at 220 pounds, Maye is built to sustain the rigors of professional football.
His arm strength and accuracy repeatedly show how consistent a performer he is, while his rushing yards speak to his athleticism. Generally, he sets his feet quickly and with balance, helping him stride through his passes with arm clarity and purposeful placement.
Maye tends to process with a solid internal clock and an awareness of his surroundings.
Why Chicago?
It’s highly possible that another team will own the first overall pick and choose Caleb Williams (USC) ahead of Maye. If that’s the case and Chicago, for whatever its reasons, wants to reset the organization’s fiscal time clock with a new quarterback’s rookie contract, drafting Maye would be a viable option.
Drafting Maye would signal another shift in coaching personnel and quite possibly a more dedicated approach to developing around its franchise quarterback instead of in spite of him.
In addition, the front office will probably expand its financial flexibility, addressing other areas of need on an improving roster. Any fans disenchanted with the current regime may become reinvigorated by the organizational changes and begin hoping once more.