NFL Draft Insider: Drake Maye Should Pray on Knees Daily that He Lands with Vikings

By    |  
Updated:
drake maye minnesota vikings draft rumors
Brett Davis-USA TODAY SportsCredit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Drake Maye had his pro day on Thursday. The Minnesota Vikings sent quarterbacks coach, Josh McCown, to be on site at the University of North Carolina. Maye started slow but quickly worked into a groove. There’s no doubt the 21-year-old kid needs work.

He’s been tagged as the biggest project of the four quarterbacks at the top of the draft, by many of the most trusted NFL Draft analysts, insiders and experts in the business. But his ceiling might be the highest, too. There’s been a lot of talk regarding the importance of where Drake Maye ends up.

If you put him in a good situation and allow the Carolina kid to sit and learn, while also hammering down on his mechanics, your franchise could end up hitting the jackpot. If he lands on a team that needs to fastrack his development or one that doesn’t have a coaching staff built to work out his college kinks, Drake could end up as the next big bust in NFL Draft lore.

NFL Draft Insider: Drake Maye should pray he lands with Minnesota Vikings

That’s why one deeply embedded draft insider, Daniel Jeremiah (NFL Network), said on a segment Friday that the UNC quarterback should be getting down on his knees and praying every day that he ends up with the Minnesota Vikings, where he can develop behind bridge QB Sam Darnold and work daily with great QB minds like Kevin O’Connell and his old high school coach, Josh McCown.

“I would be getting on my knees and praying every day if was Drake Maye that, whether or not that means the Minnesota Vikings trading up to 3, 4, 5, whatever. Or, in this best case scenario for the Vikings, that Bucky has here, because Bucky doesn’t trade in mock drafts, that he just falls right into their laps [at No. 11]. I want to play for the Minnesota Vikings if I’m Drake Maye. That is my number one choice and quite honestly, I don’t care if that’s 2, 3, 4, 5, 11 or wherever…”

Daniel Jeremiah – NFL Network

Obviously, Jeremiah believes, as many do, that the Vikings have the best situation available for any of these rookie quarterbacks, which makes sense. It starts with the offensive weapons in Minnesota. Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison could be a top WR duo for the next 5-10 years, based on their early career results.

Then, there’s TJ Hockenson, who’s widely considered as one of the best tight ends in football; and the Vikings have possibly the best young tackle combination in the NFL, with Brian O’Neill and Christian Darrisaw. Oh, and they just signed running back Aaron Jones in free agency.

Related: Aaron Jones Signing Dubbed Best Value Add of NFL Free Agency

But beyond the ultra-talented teammates that a young QB will have to play with, is the coaches that he has to nurture his growth as a QB, which we’ve already touched on. The Wilfs hired Kevin O’Connell, in large part due to his resume as a possible quarterback guru and new QB coach Josh McCown is seen as the next O’Connell.

So if there is one spot where a raw quarterback prospect like Drake Maye is sure to thrive, it’s in purple and gold, as a Minnesota Viking.

Mentioned in this article:

More About: