North Carolina QB Drake Maye declares for 2024 NFL Draft

North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye has made a decision on the 2024 NFL Draft. Maye has officially decided to take his talents to the NFL, he announced on Monday.

In a class that is considered strong at quarterback, Maye sits close to the top of the bunch. For much of the last year, Maye has been side-by-side with USC quarterback Caleb Williams as the two top quarterbacks, and arguably overall players, in this class.

Maye sat behind Sam Howell, who is now starting in the NFL, as a freshman in 2021. He then battled for and later won the starting job ahead of the 2022 season, and solidified himself as one of college football’s best players.

In 2022, Maye completed over 66% of his passes while throwing for more than 4,300 yards with 38 touchdowns and seven interceptions. That success wasn’t quite enough to put Maye in the Heisman conversation, but he did finish 10th in Heisman voting in 2022. He also racked up ACC Offensive Player of the Year and ACC Player of the Year honors.

This season, Maye has had a dip in production, though remaining as a highly sought after professional prospect.

In addition to being a prolific passer, Maye brings added value as a runner. He has rushed for over 1,100 yards in his collegiate career, adding 15 touchdowns on the ground.

More on the 2024 NFL Draft

The 2024 NFL Draft will be held in Detroit, Michigan, with the first round on Thursday, April 25, the second and third rounds on Friday, April 26, and the fourth through seventh rounds on Saturday, April 27.

Players will have the opportunity to solidify their draft stock at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine, to be held in Indianapolis, Indiana from February 26 through March 4.

The three-day event will be broadcasted throughout the weekend on ESPN and NFL Network.

To be eligible for the NFL Draft, players must be at least three years removed from their final year of high school while having used up their collegiate eligibility. Underclassmen are able to request league approval to become eligible for the draft, as are players who have graduated prior to using up all of their collegiate eligibility.

Last season, 69 players were granted special eligibility for the 2023 NFL Draft. 13 underclassmen who had completed their college degrees were also deemed eligible to be selected.

The deadline to declare for the 2024 NFL Draft is on January 15. NFL teams will receive a full list of eligible players in the class on January 19.