Why Patriots QB Drake Maye couldn't be more different than Mac Jones

Drake Maye couldn’t be a more different prospect than Mac Jones.

The New England Patriots are starting anew. 

At coach.

At GM.

At quarterback.

Patriots new coach Jerod Mayo played for Bill Belichick. Executive Eliot Wolf worked three years in New England under Belichick. There are absolutely new elements to this regime. But it’s extremely familiar.

Belichick took Jones — a player in the model of Tom Brady, a pocket passer.

You may remember Jones' draft profile. He won a lot at Alabama and enjoyed the support of a stellar cast of receivers. He had high processing power but a mediocre arm with sound mechanics. He wasn’t mobile, but he was disciplined in the pocket. Finally, he had a high floor — and was ready for the NFL — but Jones didn’t seem destined to be the NFL’s best quarterback.

Jones briefly showed shades of early Brady. But Brady is in the past in so many ways. Of course, Brady’s era in New England is long over. Beyond that, his style of pocket-passing play is dwindling.

That seems to be what drew the Patriots to Maye. As a prospect, he is the opposite of Jones. Maye fits the mold of where the QB position is headed.

Maye went to UNC, where his supporting cast was lacking. They didn’t win a lot of meaningful games. He doesn’t seem to see defenses clearly, but he makes up for it with a rocket arm — albeit with a hitch in his throwing mechanics. His mobility helped him in a big way, too. He had moments where his discipline lapsed. But he’s young. So he might not look ready for the NFL right now, but with the right amount of development, he has the physical tools to enter the conversation as one of the NFL's best quarterbacks.

With Jones, the Patriots sought safety and security.

With Maye, the Patriots want for fire