Drawing With His Draft Experiences From 1993, Drew Bledsoe Spells Out the ‘Hard’ Challenges for Drake Maye With the Patriots

Drake Maye became a highly sought name in the 2024 draft class. He’s been labeled as a potential successor to Tom Brady, but despite the excitement surrounding Maye, there’s been a slight setback.

As the rookie minicamp gets underway, it appears that coach Jerod Mayo may sideline Maye for the initial games. Instead, the team might opt for Jacoby Brissett as the starting quarterback. However, former Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe offers words of encouragement, drawing from his own experiences to highlight the unsaid challenges Maye may face. 

Drew Bledsoe’s take on Drake Maye’s situation

In 1993, the Patriots drafted Drew Bledsoe as the top quarterback with their first overall pick. Similar to Drake Maye’s current situation, Bledsoe arrived with high expectations. However, unlike Maye, Bledsoe immediately started for the Patriots. Unfortunately, the team didn’t see immediate success, taking several years to flourish under Bledsoe.

Reflecting on this, Bledsoe said, “It’s always a dilemma…because when you drafted that high you know by definition you are going to a team that’s not very good.” High draft picks typically land on struggling teams, creating a “Catch-22” situation where there’s no easy escape for top players. Bledsoe thus added, “Especially as a quarterback that’s hard” highlighting the challenge Maye faces as a signal caller on a mediocre team.

Bledsoe believes the decision to bench Maye until he and the team find their footing depends on his performance in training camp. “It really comes down to how he looks in training camp,” he said. He emphasized the mental aspect of it claiming it all depends on how well he can withstand the challenges. While presenting these harsh realities, Bledsoe also offered a glimmer of hope as he believes Maye is in the right hands to learn and develop. 

Bledsoe believes Alex Van Pelt to be the right mentor for a quarterback

Aside from Drake Maye, the Patriots’ biggest offensive asset is their offensive coordinator, Alex Van Pelt. While coach Mayo has sidelined Maye for now, stating there’s “a lot of work to do,” this shouldn’t be seen as a setback. The team is entrusting Van Pelt with the responsibility of developing one of the best quarterbacks in this year’s draft class.

Drew Bledsoe knew Van Pelt during his times in the Buffalo Bills. Thus Bledsoe confidently stated, “From a backup standpoint he [Alex] was the one that had the best football mind.” He further added, “I really think that Alex is one of those special quarterback whisperer dudes that’s really gonna help.” Van Pelt brings decades of coaching experience to the Patriots, making the task of maximizing Drake Maye’s potential less daunting.