Drake Maye from UNC football is officially an NFL rookie after being picked by the New England Patriots in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He was the No. 3 overall pick.

Maye spent two seasons as a starter for the Tar Heels, winning ACC Player of the Year in his first year as a starter.

He’s the first Tar Heel since Mitchell Trubisky in 2017 to be selected in the first round. Sam Howell, a fifth-round pick in 2022, has also been a recent NFL starting quarterback for the Washington Commanders.

Here's what Maye brings to NFLTeam2, based on our own observations from the quarterback's tenure at UNC:

What Drake Maye brings to New England Patriots in 2024 NFL Draft

Maye has the build and the skills to become a franchise quarterback, popping off film with his arm strength, vision and mobility as a signal-caller. In his two seasons as a college starter, Maye made “wow” plays and had some head-scratching turnovers. Maye’s talent and potential path as a QB make him worth the risk as a possible franchise-changing pick.

Drake Maye highlights, strengths, weaknesses at UNC football

Maye burst onto the scene in 2022 as the nation’s top freshman. He won ACC Player of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Offensive Rookie of the Year. NFL quarterback Jameis Winston, who played at Florida State, is the only other player to win all four of those awards in the same season. An All-ACC quarterback in each of his two seasons at UNC, Maye had a tendency to force throws and struggled with multiple reads at times, but he has all the tools to be a successful NFL quarterback. He also has the ability to go off script to create plays with his legs.

Drake Maye stats at UNC football

In two seasons as a starter, Maye completed 64.7% of his passes for 7,929 yards and 62 touchdowns with 16 interceptions. He also rushed for 1,147 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Drake Maye player comparison (or potential) in NFL

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert and Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell have been the most popular comparisons on both ends of the spectrum for Maye, a big QB with the arm and sneaky athleticism to become a playmaking signal-caller. Maye has fixable flaws, particularly centered around forcing throws. The talent is undeniable and Maye feels closer to Herbert than Howell.

Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: New England drafts Drake Maye in 2024 NFL Draft. Pros, cons of pick