Rob Gronkowski makes bold claim about Patriots' Drake Maye

This past Sunday, New England Patriots icon and future Hall of Famer Rob Gronkowski referred to New England rookie quarterback Drake Maye as "a complete leader" and "a complete quarterback out on the football field." 

Gronkowski went one step further while speaking about Maye at "The Tradition" fundraising gala on Wednesday night. 

"I appreciated and supported them holding him out and doing that so he could develop and learn," Gronkowski said about how the Patriots handled Maye earlier this season, as NESN's Tim Crowley shared. "I feel like that’s why he’s the best quarterback in the draft already right now out of all the rookies. He looks like the best player, as well, because he developed a little bit longer. He wasn’t just thrown out there into all that pressure. To see him holding down the team, he’s probably the best player on the team already and he’s just a rookie. That’s a good sign for the future." 

Unlike rookies Caleb Williams of the Chicago Bears, Jayden Daniels of the Washington Commanders and Bo Nix of the Denver Broncos, Maye spent time this season working on aspects of his game as a backup until the Patriots made the 22-year-old their starter following Week 5. Like all first-year pros, Maye has experienced ups and downs while in the lineup. He's impressed analysts with how he's improved since outsiders first saw him during springtime workouts. 

Maye has completed 66.7 percent of 189 passes for 1,236 yards with nine touchdowns and six interceptions. He's also added 260 rushing yards and a score over seven games (six starts). 

"He’s a prototypical quarterback," Gronkowski added about Maye. "That’s what makes him so great. The way that he can just sit in a pocket. You see a lot of guys around these days, they scramble right away when the offensive line breaks down. He’s not even scared. He doesn’t even have that good of an offensive line. He’s not even scared to sit in that pocket and do what he needs to do to let the play develop." 

As of Thursday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook listed Daniels as the betting favorite at -400 odds to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. Nix was second at +300, followed by Maye at +2500. 

Maye may not receive hardware in February 2025, but that doesn't mean he won't be viewed as the best quarterback in his draft class by November 2028.