2024 Dynasty Fantasy Football Rookie Profile: Drake Maye, QB North Carolina

I learned a valuable lesson last year: Don’t be influenced by groupthink. If you have conviction in a player, trust what your eyes see.

All during the 2023 NFL Draft cycle, I had CJ Stroud as my rookie QB1. With every throw and every game I watched, I could see the talent. I didn’t get caught up in the concerns and the supposed red flags at the Combine with his Wonderlic score. But when draft day arrived, and Stroud ended up in Houston, I gave the slight nudge to Bryce Young and passed on what I had always felt was the better prospect.

I bring this up to say that UNC quarterback Drake Maye feels very much like the one receiving the Stroud treatment in 2024.

Our rookie profile series continues as we examine Maye further.

The Stats

Maye redshirted his freshman year in 2021. However, he burst onto the scene in 2022, throwing for 38 touchdowns and managing a 157.9 quarterback rating. It was a breakout year for Maye, and one I don’t believe any college football or devy analysts could have expected. He put himself on the map two years ago as a legitimate NFL Draft Prospect that season, winning Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year in the ACC. He followed up his electric 2022 with what some might consider a down year, but still produced at a high level for the Tar Heels. Despite not matching or exceeding his 2022 season, Maye still threw for single-digit interceptions and a 149 passer rating.