This year’s NFL Draft is loaded with quarterbacks who have the ability to become Pro Bowlers and franchise cornerstones, and it has led to lots of excitement.
One of those quarterbacks is Drake Maye out of the University of North Carolina, who was officially taken No. 3 overall by the New England Patriots.
Maye’s childhood hero is Cam Newton, the former star signal-caller of the Carolina Panthers, and he got to meet Newton just ahead of the opening of Thursday’s draft, per NFL Network.
“He’s my MVP.” ❤️
Drake Maye got a little surprise on the red carpet when he got to meet his childhood hero Cam Newton ahead of hearing his name called tonight.
📺: 2024 #NFLDraft – 8pm ET on NFLN/ESPN/ABC
📱: Also streaming on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/WaNF4weZ3l— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) April 25, 2024
Maye is originally from North Carolina, which allowed him to grow up watching Newton put the Panthers on the map several years ago.
Newton was the No. 2 overall pick in 2011, and he made the Pro Bowl as a rookie while winning the Offensive Rookie of the Year award.
Just four years later, he won the regular-season MVP award while leading Carolina to Super Bowl 50, where they lost to the Denver Broncos in Peyton Manning’s farewell game.
In most other years, Maye would likely be the top quarterback prospect and perhaps the first player chosen, but the fact that he went No. 3 shows the immense amount of talent available this year.
He threw for 3,608 yards and 24 touchdowns last season, and the year before, he put up 4,321 passing yards and 38 passing touchdowns.
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