Drake Maye Picked as MVP Favorite Over Jonathan Taylor, Patrick Mahomes by Dan Orlovsky

Former Detroit Lions quarterback and prominent sportscaster, Dan Orlovsky, recently named New England Patriots’ UNC alum and second-year quarterback Drake Maye as his early MVP candidate. The Patriots are currently leading the AFC East ahead of the Buffalo Bills with six wins from eight games.

In eight starts, Drake Maye has thrown for 2026 yards, fifth highest in the league, ahead of several big names, including defending MVP Josh Allen and last season’s leader, Baker Mayfield. Maye has thrown 15 touchdowns with just three interceptions. His QBR of 76.0 is the fifth-best in the league. These numbers have put Maye in the race for the MVP this season, and he has earned the support from Orlovsky.

During Thursday’s episode of ESPN’s “Get Up,” Orlovsky downplayed the talk of the Colts running back Jonathan Taylor is the current MVP frontrunner. He emphasized that Maye has been the driving force behind his team’s surprising success this season.

Jonathan’s having an outstanding season. There’s nothing I can say in a negative fashion about him. The MVP of the NFL right now is Drake Maye.

Dan Orlovsky said

Orlovsky based his thoughts on the remaining offensive talent of the Patriots starting line. The analyst credited Maye for his performance given the circumstances, pointing out that his receiving group includes Stefon Diggs, who’s returning from an ACL injury, Kayshon Boutte, and a set of tight ends who are past their prime rather than up-and-coming talents.

Drake Maye’s playing quarterback just about as good as anybody, with the least amount of help around him when it comes to just talent. That’s not a knock on those guys, just keeping it real.

Orlovsky added

Ben Solak of ESPN shared the same thoughts. He said in a recent piece that after nine weeks of football, it is clear that Drake Maye is the MVP. At least when considering the traditional way of giving the NFL MVP awards.

Solak pointed out the statistics of the NFL MVP and the age-old trend of honoring the best quarterback with the most wins with the prestigious award. Fourteen of the last fifteen MVP winners have been quarterbacks, with eleven coming from teams that finished as the top seed in their conference.

Fellow draft classmate Caleb Williams also weighed in on the rising calls for Drake Maye for MVP

Rumors recently surfaced that Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles laughed off the idea of drafting Drake Maye before the 2024 NFL Draft. The Bears were fixated on Caleb Williams and went ahead to select him as first overall. Meanwhile, Maye was drafted third by the Patriots.

Though the truth about the recent rumors is hazy, there’s no question that his quick turnaround has helped him emerge as one of the league’s most promising young quarterbacks this season.

The former North Carolina standout has led his team to a surprising start this season, drawing praise from across the NFL, including from fellow quarterback and draft classmate Caleb Williams.

He’s been playing well… He’s been playing on time … he believes in his guys. They’re playing efficient football, running the ball well … that’s a good combo to have. Having him go out there, make explosive plays, scramble, things like that. Kudos to him.

Caleb Williams said in his weekly conference

While both players entered the league amid high expectations, their trajectories have quickly become points of comparison. After a hot start last year, Williams fizzled out immediately while the Patriots finished out of playoff race. This season, Williams has shown flashes of brilliance in Chicago’s evolving offense, but Maye’s consistency and poise under pressure have caught national attention.

Also Read: Shedeur Sanders Drops Possible Hint About Him Starting for Browns After the Bye Week

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