Patriots quarterback Drake Maye is poised to make a serious leap from what was a solid rookie year.
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye is poised to make a serious leap from what was a solid rookie year.Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
Drake Maye has enjoyed quite a busy offseason. He married his childhood sweetheart at the end of June, made additional headlines for the generous decision by the couple to donate their wedding presents to those in need, popped up on social media for making an incredible pass while balancing on a wakeboard, and showed up again at the heart of a player-driven voluntary workout.
The Patriots’ second year quarterback continues to make a strong impression on the field, too, coming away from the team’s recent minicamp with kudos from new coach Mike Vrabel, new offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, and plenty of teammates. He even drew praise from a rival quarterback with an MVP résumé.
It’s a combination the Patriots dreamed of when they selected Maye third overall in last year’s draft, banking on his abilities on the field as well as his charisma off it to believe they had found the team’s next superstar.
The timing couldn’t be better for Boston.
Think about it: The sports stage in New England is as devoid of superstars as it has been at any point in the last two decades. From injuries (Jayson Tatum) to retirements (Patrice Bergeron, Zdeno Chara, Devin McCourty, Julian Edelman) to trades (Rafael Devers, Mookie Betts, Brad Marchand) to free agent departures (Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski), area fans have bid a sad farewell to many of their favorite players, ones who left their mark not only in Boston but across sports as a whole, winning titles, appearing in commercials, walking red carpets or hosting podcasts.
What’s left? There’s only so much Jaylen Brown or David Pastrnak to go around. Maybe, in time, the likes of Jeremy Swayman, Roman Anthony, or Marcelo Mayer will eventually step in. But right now, there is no doubt: Maye is next in line.
His stage awaits.
Of course it starts with the football, and there, Maye is poised to make a serious leap from what was a solid rookie year. Taking over as the league’s youngest starting quarterback in Week 6 of last season, the 22-year-old won two of his first five starts, quickly providing a jolt to a talent-starved offense that could do nothing to lift off under the direction of veteran fill-in Jacoby Brissett. While Brissett was heroic in taking punishment behind a leaky offensive line and a middling wide receiving corps, Maye’s more mobile legs, quicker release, and better accuracy made a big difference.
Can Drake Maye become Boston's next sports superstar?
Can Drake Maye become Boston's next sports superstar?Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
Now, with the additions of free agent receiver Stefon Diggs, stud rookie tackle Will Campbell, and another potentially explosive receiver in draft pick Kyle Williams, Maye should be able to improve upon the 2,276 yards and 15 touchdowns of last season. Cut down on the 10 interceptions and nine fumbles and the team’s woeful 4-13 record should look a lot better this year.
Maye will look pretty good, too, if he emerges as the type of leader Vrabel began to see in minicamp.
“I think there’s a lot of natural leadership qualities [there],” Vrabel said. “I think I have to encourage him, continue to encourage him, to put him in those positions to do that so that the players understand that there’s a different version of all of us.
“There’s one that’s off the field, there’s one in the meeting room, and there’s a version on the field, which we all have to understand is somewhat different than what it may be off the field.”
In other words, Maye has to be ready to be loud, to be demanding, to set the right example with his actions, but not be afraid to make sure others are following his lead.
“I think it’s an opportunity for me to take a jump,” Maye said at minicamp. “I think from last year being a rookie, trying to come in here and earn my stripes, earn my keep through hard work. I think this year is the same approach. You’ve got new guys in here, new staff, got to keep on getting to know everybody, show my work ethic. From there, as the season comes around, try to take the next step in leadership and leading the offense and hopefully leading this football team.”
It’s clear Maye is well-liked among his peers. From compliments out of Buffalo by way of Josh Allen, to the jet-ski-riding pass-catch antics with Rhamondre Stevenson; from the promise by Campbell on draft night that he’d “fight and die to protect” his new QB, to the group of players happy to meet up with Maye for a voluntary workout (Joshua Dobbs, Kendrick Bourne, Diggs, DeMario Douglas, Ja’Lynn Polk, Williams, Stevenson, Hunter Henry), these Patriots are in their honeymoon phase.
Carry that into the regular season, with Maye at the helm? Then make way for a new superstar. The stage awaits.
Tara Sullivan is a Globe columnist. She can be reached at tara.sullivan@globe.com. Follow her @Globe_Tara.