LOOK: Drake Maye photographed alongside fellow NFL rookies in Los Angeles
Can you believe the 2024 NFL Draft was nearly a month ago?
I’ll be honest – it’s going to take me some time adjusting to see this year’s rookie class in pro uniforms.
J.J. McCarthy was at the pinnacle of college football after Michigan’s National Championshaip win over Washington. Now, he’ll be just another rookie quarterback in the NFL for the Minnesota Vikings.
Malik Nabers was the top pass-catcher from Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels last year. He’ll now catch passes from former Duke quarterback Daniel Jones, whom the New York Giants’ fanbase is growing tired of.
Quarterback Drake Maye won 2022 ACC Rookie and Player of the Year honors at North Carolina. He played himself into Heisman Trophy contention last year, but those dreams were killed by yet another late-season UNC collapse.
Selected third overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, Maye now tries to help restore the New England Patriots to their earlier 2000’s glory.
Regardless of who’s playing where, it’ll be exciting seeing this new rookie class suit up in the fall.
Months ahead of the upcoming NFL season, several of those rookies were photographed over the weekend, at the NFLPA Rookie Premiere in Los Angeles, Calif.
If you look closely, Maye is standing in the third row to the left of Luke McCaffrey, whom the Washington Commanders chose with the 100th overall (third round) pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
This summer, Maye will compete with NC State alum Jacoby Brissett for New England’s starting quarterback job. It might be tough for Maye to win the job at first, as Brissett has proven to be a successful NFL quarterback at multiple stops.
If we’ve learned anything from the past several NFL season, though, rookies tend to take over pretty early.
Will Maye be that next rookie?
Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
