Watch: UNC QB Drake Maye plays backyard football vs. Duke

North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye (10) looks to pass in the second quarter at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Watch: North Carolina QB Drake Maye plays backyard football vs. Duke

By Mike Santa Barbara | Last updated Nov 11, 2023 10:46 PM ET

Drake Maye is one of the highest-rated quarterback prospects ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft, and he showed why Saturday against Duke.

Early in the second half, the Tar Heels QB proved to be a master of improvisation. With North Carolina nursing a two-point lead, 16-14, Maye led a 16-play, 55-yard field goal drive, keeping it alive several times with incredible backyard football heroics.

Three plays into the drive, a scrambling Maye made something out of nothing on a crucial third-and-two near midfield. Stopped short of the first down, Maye pitched the football to running back Omarion Hampton, who scampered for a new set of downs.

DRAKE MAYE THINGS @uncfootball pic.twitter.com/A73gzGk21N
— ACC Network (@accnetwork) November 12, 2023

Later in the drive, facing a fourth and four from the Duke 14 yard-line, Maye broke out a pump-fake spin to avoid a would-be pass rusher before connecting with wideout J.J. Jones for a six-yard completion.

Drake Maye on 4th down. pic.twitter.com/LqEzLwSfNO
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) November 12, 2023

The Tar Heels ultimately had to settle for a field goal, but without Maye's quick thinking and instincts, they may have come away with nothing at all.

Intangibles can make a huge difference when it comes to what NFL scouts are looking for in a QB to lead their team. Maye has already shown the ability to play quarterback at a high level, but he showcased what could separate him from the rest of the field on Saturday.

Mike Santa Barbara

Mike Santa Barbara is a Wilmington, Delaware native (Yes, it's a real place) with over a decade of sports writing experience. A diehard Philadelphia sports fan, he has two dogs named after Flyers and cried real tears when the Eagles won Super Bowl LII. You can follow him on Twitter at @mike__sb

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