The New England Patriots are drafting at No. 4 this year, and quarterback Drake Maye has some thoughts on what he'd like to see the front office do with the early selection.
Rather than draft explicitly for need, Maye told podcast host Kay Adams he'd like to see the team consider talent over fit.
"I think you take the best player that early," Maye told the Up & Adams host in a clip released Tuesday. "Take the best player available."
As for which, well Maye would be happy with "any one of those guys," he went on. "I don't want to put my foot in my mouth here, so whoever wants to come play in New England and win some football games."
Watch that answer below:
Drake Maye on the Patriots’ No. 4 pick:
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) March 25, 2025
“I think you go with the best player available. When you’re picking that high, you’ve got to take the top talent on the board…"@heykayadams | @DrakeMaye2 pic.twitter.com/ex6v5R3qyc
In terms of options, Sports Illustrated's Daniel Flick is currently predicting the Pats will use their pick to select LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell. But other possible choices include DT Mason Graham, edge rusher Abdul Carter, or two-way Heisman winner Travis Hunter; it just depends on who the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, and New York Giants—drafting one, two, and three—might select first.
For what it's worth, Maye's comments are also in line with remarks team executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf made over the weekend, when he said the "best player available is going to be the way it is."
"Maybe we went for need a little bit too much last year," Wolf explained of the draft. "Obviously that culminated in us drafting Drake Maye, so it wasn’t all bad. But, just moving forward, it’s taking the best player, and understanding that we’ve filled a lot of needs already in free agency.”
The Pats will of course need to do something different if they hope to rebuild their dynasty post-Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. And since they already have the new QB and a new head coach, let the new draft strategy commence.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Drake Maye Reveals What He'd Like Patriots to Do With Their Early Draft Pick.
