Drake Maye turned heads around the NFL this season despite a forgettable 4-13 showing for the New England Patriots.
Maye flashed athleticism, the ability to extend plays and make every throw on the field. The Patriots have a talent to build around, which former NFL safety and current ESPN analyst believes is the hardest talent to find around the sport.
“The one thing the Patriots have done is they’ve identified the quarterback,” Clark shared on [“NFL Live”](https://x.com/ESPNNFL/status/1907184130963517536) Tuesday. “That’s the hardest part of trying to win in this league. You lucked up with Tom Brady and now you’ve got with Drake Maye, you make that No. 3 overall pick last year, you’ve got an absolute stud at the position.”
Clark commended the Patriots for quality efforts to support Maye in free agency with an overhaul on defense and a top pass-catcher in Stefon Diggs. Clark knows there’s more work to be done on the roster, though Maye is capable of rising to the occasion despite the [work in progress around him](https://nesn.com/2025/03/how-drake-maye-wants-patriots-to-use-fourth-overall-draft-pick/).
“We saw a ton of times last year this dude making lemonade out of tomatoes,” Clark exclaimed.
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New England should still have a few more impact additions to help Maye and the Patriots when the 2025 NFL Draft rolls around later this month.
Featured image via Kirby Lee/Imagn Images