Even though Drake Maye put up strong numbers in his rookie season with the Patriots, he continues to get shunned by some in the media.
That's understandable to a point, as Maye's record as a starter was 3-9 last year, and the Patriots bumbled to a 4-13 record.
The Patriots' second-year quarterback has garnered respect from his peers, especially Josh Allen, but in ranking the top 25 players in the league under the age of 25, CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin did not put Maye on that list.
The only Patriot to make Benjamin's rankings was cornerback Christian Gonzalez, who checked in at 18th.
Drake Maye will work his way onto this list somehow
As great as Maye was as a rookie, he made his fair share of rookie mistakes. While some were typical of a first-year quarterback, one could argue that a porous group of wide receivers and a matador offensive line had a lot to do with that.
However, experts probably viewed Maye's 3-9 record as a starter and believed he's nowhere near being on a top-25 list. The only other quarterbacks on the list are Jayden Daniels and C.J. Stroud, both of whom have led their teams to the postseason while the Patriots have been mired in the AFC East basement. Some are even questioning whether or not Maye and Stefon Diggs can be a dynamite quarterback-wide receiver duo.
While excluding Maye from this list may seem disrespectful to his talents, most of the players who made Benjamin's top 25 have been on winning teams. Case in point? The top 10 consisted of four Detroit Lions. To be considered for a list like this, Maye would likely need the Patriots to improve significantly beyond their 4-13 record.
That's certainly expected this season, thanks to an improved roster and coaching staff built to help Maye truly showcase his talents. Come next season, it's more likely than not that we'll find Maye on a list like this if the Patriots live up to expectations.