When Sam Howell declared for the 2022 NFL Draft, UNC football fans wondered if anyone would be able to replace his level of production.

The Tar Heels had been recruiting a young man by the name of Drake Maye, who was interested in North Carolina, but already had a commitment to Alabama. Maye was a special high school player, throwing for a Myers Park-record 3,512 yards and 50 touchdowns in 2019, highlighting how the Crimson Tide would be getting yet another storied recruit.

When Maye flipped his commitment to UNC in March 2020, however, Tar Heel Nation immediately knew this was one of the biggest recruiting wins in program history.

Maye exceeded expectations during his time in Chapel Hill, throwing for 8,018 yards and 63 touchdowns, while adding 1,209 rushing yards and 16 score on the ground. He played himself into Heisman Trophy contention this past season, plus a projected Top-5 in the 2024 NFL Draft.

On Thursday, April 25, Maye’s dreams of being a future NFL star came through, as the New England Patriots selected him with the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Maye will have a pass-catching corps to work with that includes former Minnesota Viking K.J. Osborn, Kendrick Bourne, JuJu Smith-Schuster, tight ends Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper.

In his on-stage interview with Molly McGrath, Maye seemed very excited to start his NFL journey. He’ll be competing for the starting gig with NFL veteran Jacoby Brissett, who was originally drafted by New England in 2016.

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Story originally appeared on Tarheels Wire