Drake Maye has committed to remaining at North Carolina as he prepares for the 2024 NFL Draft, and one rival coach says the star quarterback turned down a shocking sum of money when he made that decision.
Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi spoke about the Maye situation during an appearance on 93.7 The Fan Tuesday. He said he has knowledge of two schools offering Maye $5 million to leave UNC. Narduzzi said he knew which schools made the offers but would not out them. He called the transfer portal and new NIL rules a “sad, sad deal.”
Maye never actually entered the transfer portal. There were rumors that he might leave UNC after his stellar 2022 season, but the redshirt freshman said in a tweet earlier this month that he “could never leave this place.”
UNC coach Mack Brown said Monday that Maye turned down millions from other programs to remain with the Tar Heels. He would not specify where the offers came from.
“I can’t say, and don’t ask Drake,” Brown said, via Adam Smith of Inside Carolina. “You know who they are. Just look at all the ones who are getting all the top recruits.”
Even with the new NIL rules, schools are still not allowed to make pay-for-play offers to student athletes. Schools are also prohibited from contacting players until they enter the transfer portal.
Maye has thrown for 4,115 yards, 35 touchdowns and seven interceptions this season. We have heard of star quarterbacks making huge sums of money with NIL deals, but a $5 million offer is pretty eye-popping.
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