FOXBORO — Drake Maye made a strong first impression on new Patriots tight end Julian Hill.
When describing the Patriots’ offense under offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, Hill went out of his way to praise Maye and shared a story about one of their first interactions.
“It’s to beat the defense, simple as that,” Hill said. “It’s finding ways to exploit things, finding ways to take advantage of certain things, take advantage of certain matchups. What a quarterback. And I’m not just saying that to say because I’m a Patriot. What a quarterback. Guy’s young, guy’s vocal, guy’s a leader.
“He took me in first couple days in, and we in the offensive room, going over fronts. Hell of a quarterback. Man, so this offense finds ways to exploit people, find ways to take advantage of defenses.”
Hill came over from the Dolphins this offseason, signing a three-year, $15 million contract with the Patriots in free agency, so he had already seen Maye play within the division for two years.
Maye and Hill are also both North Carolina natives.
“I already knew what it was. I mean, Carolina cats, we cut from the same cloth a little bit,” Hill said. “So he’s a competitor. You saw it on the field, so I’m just honored to get a chance to play with him, and get a chance to earn his trust, and be able to protect him. Be able to know that he can lean on me in crunch time. That’s why I’m excited to play with him.”
Maye finished second in MVP voting last season after carrying the Patriots to a 14-3 record and a Super Bowl LX berth.
The 2024 third-overall pick completed 72% of his passes for 4,394 yards with 31 touchdowns and eight interceptions while rushing for 450 yards on 103 carries with four more scores. He led the NFL in completion percentage, yards per attempt (8.9), passer rating (113.5) and QBR (77.1) while also earning Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors.