Julian Edelman shares what has impressed him the most about Drake Maye

New England Patriots

“He looks so confident, he makes it look so easy, and I think his relationship with Josh McDaniels has been awesome.”

Drake Maye did more than just take a “second-year leap” with the Patriots in 2025. 

The 23-year-old QB played an essential role in improving New England from a four-win team to a 14-win juggernaut — with Maye expected to be one of the frontrunners for NFL MVP alongside Rams QB Matthew Stafford. 

Maye’s baseline stats and underlying metrics have been impressive this season, with the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft putting together one of the most efficient seasons in NFL history as an accurate passer (72.0 completion percentage) adept at uncorking deep balls down the field. 

But, according to former Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman, the most impressive aspect of Maye isn’t his arm strength or scrambling ability. 

“I think it’s his attitude,” Edelman said of Maye during his latest appearance on “The Herd.” “Just talking to people over there, everyone talks about how he’s so hungry to be coached, he’s so hungry to learn, and it translates into how he looks when he’s playing. He looks so confident, he makes it look so easy, and I think his relationship with Josh McDaniels has been awesome.

“So I think his attitude is the one thing that stands out,” Edelman added. “All these guys can throw the ball, all these guys can run the ball now— especially at that position. It’s the guys that are really wanting to dive into the academics of football, learning situations, learning, ‘alright, it’s third and six in the red area let’s not throw an interception, let’s take the three points.’ And he’s shown that he’s got that calm, cool, collected attitude and it’s been real fun to watch.”

Edelman is not the only former Patriot to offer up plenty of praise for Maye and his emergence this season.

While Tom Brady believes that Stafford has the inside edge as league MVP this season, former New England running back Damien Harris believes that Maye has done more with less than year. 

“Not only does he have 14 touchdowns in the low red zone to Devante Adams, he also is throwing one of the best receivers in the National Football League at Puka Nacua, who is at the tops of the receiving list for almost every statistical category,” Harris said on CBS. “Drake Maye is throwing to who? 

“Thirty-two year-old Stefon Diggs, the running backs … getting the tight ends involved. He’s getting it to everybody is the point. There’s no real superstar pass-catcher for this team, but yet Drake Maye still gets the ball to everybody.”

 

Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.