Getty The New England Patriots fielded interest from a former Super Bowl rival in the No. 3 draft pick that became Drake Maye.
The New England Patriots held on tightly to the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NFL draft and selected quarterback Drake Maye, but it wasn’t because they were short of offers. In fact, infamous Super Bowl rivals the New York Giants told the Pats they were “interested” in acquiring the pick.
That interest played out during a conversation between Giants’ general manager Joe Schoen and assistant GM Brandon Brown at the Scouting Combine. The exchange was filmed for HBO’s “Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants” on Max (h/t Talkin’ Giants Videos) and appeared in the series’ second episode, which aired on Tuesday, July 9.
Schoen told Brown he would ask the Patriots, “Hey, before you do anything at three, just make sure you let us know. Just plant the seed, if you are going to move the pick don’t do it without at least giving us a call and we’re interested.”
After that conversation, Schoen took up the issue with Patriots’ de facto GM Eliot Wolf. Schoen let Wolf know “if you have any inkling, just call me.” Wolf admitted, “we’ve had a couple of teams call, and it’s kind of been this conversation.
Joe Schoen talking with the Patriots about trading for the 3rd pick
While Wolf agreed to Schoen’s request, he gave nothing away to his counterpart about the Patriots’ real intentions. Those intentions became clear once Maye heard his name called in the No. 3 slot.
The pick gave New England the would-be franchise quarterback lacking since Tom Brady left town in 2020. It also might have put one over on the Giants, the team that beat the Pats in Super Bowls following the 2007 and 2011 seasons.
Speculation was strong the Giants wanted Maye, and perhaps this knowledge ultimately convinced Wolf to stay put on the board and take the gifted former North Carolina passer.
Giants Believed to Have Wanted Drake Maye
More than a few have interpreted Schoen’s request as tacit proof the Giants wanted to beat the Patriots to taking Maye. Among them, Dan Schneier of CBS Sports explained, “Despite a bevy of reputable sources reporting this, so many fans tried to act like they weren’t trying to trade up (it was for Drake Maye) This is definitive.”
One of the pre-draft reports came from ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, who revealed “The #Giants are at least looking to trade up. The belief is it’s for UNC QB Drake Maye.”
The Giants’ apparent interest in Maye included the player’s perceived similarities to a quarterback the Patriots know well. Namely, Buffalo Bills’ Pro Bowler Josh Allen, who became a star when Giants’ head coach Brian Daboll was his offensive coordinator before 2022.
Maye appeared to impress Daboll when the two met at the Combine. The QB kept pace with Daboll’s X’s and O’s aptitude test.
Daboll getting another strong-armed, mercurial athlete to work with at football’s most important position would have spared the Giants any more of Daniel Jones’ struggles. Instead, it’s the Patriots who are counting on Maye’s raw potential to eventually inspire their rebuild.
To some Patriots fans, there’ll be a sense of poetic justice Wolf never placed a call to the Giants. It’s minor revenge for Big Blue ending Brady and the Pats’ bid for a perfect season by winning the 2008 Super Bowl, before more unlikely heroics from Eli Manning denied New England again four years later.
He always shined on the biggest stage.
Eli Manning’s BEST THROWS from his @SuperBowl MVP performance in #SBXLVI! #GiantsPride (Feb. 5, 2012)
Brady winning six Super Bowls with the Patriots certainly softened the blow. It’s also set a high benchmark for Maye, Wolf and a new regime to meet.
Patriots Face Daunting Rebuild
Wolf hanging onto the third pick was hardly surprising. He knew the value of premium draft capital for a franchise facing a long road back to success.
Things crumbled once Brady joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with now former head coach Bill Belichick managing just one winning season out of four. Bad drafting, including the swift malaise experienced by Brady’s supposed successor Mac Jones, have left the Patriots needing to start over.
It’s a daunting prospect, but the development of Maye and rookie head coach Jerod Mayo will be key. The fortunes of Maye and Wolf will be tied directly to how Maye performs.
Such high stakes are probably why veteran signal-caller Jacoby Brissett will initially get the nod. Yet, sooner rather than later, 21-year-old Maye will need to justify Wolf’s decision to keep the pick.