FOXBOROUGH – Drake Maye saw an opportunity and took a chance.
With Kyle Williams sprinting down the left sideline, the Patriots quarterback threw the ball high into the air. It was the type of pass you only throw if you trust your intended target. As the ball descended from the sky, however, Christian Gonzalez had a step on the third-round draft pick.
The All-Pro cornerback intercepted that pass intended for Williams. The fact that Maye threw the ball in the first place – with Gonzalez covering the rookie – tells a bigger story.
In the second full-team practice of his early NFL career, veterans are already taking notice of this rookie wide receiver.
“Oh yeah, everyone is competitive at this level,” Gonzalez said when asked about Williams. “Everyone is going to come in and especially receivers and (defensive backs), that’s one of the positions you have to be the most competitive at. (Williams is) one of them. He’s going to talk his talk just like every other receiver. He comes in, had his head down, gets to work, you know he’s hungry, ready to go. At this point, that’s all you can ask from him – come in, get to work, and ask questions when needed.”
Life for a rookie receiver is rarely easy. On Tuesday, Williams was matched up with an All-Pro cornerback. The fact that he was on the field with Maye at all was impressive, but it was an even bigger deal that the quarterback trusted him enough to give him a chance against one of the top cornerbacks in the league.
Later in practice, Williams had his moment.
In the Patriots’ final 11-on-11 series, Williams was on the field with Maye, again. The young quarterback didn’t shy away from throwing to the rookie. This time, Maye took a deep shot down the left sideline. Williams blew by a Patriots cornerback and caught a tough, contested catch with rookie safety Craig Woodson in tight coverage.
Williams finished the play by getting both feet in bounds near the sideline. Players applauded the rookie – and it was a moment that’ll only build more confidence for Maye.