Joel Klatt shares where Drake Maye ranks on 2024 draft prospects

Drake Maye is a top-three draft pick in 2024, according to Joel Klatt.

The Fox Sports analyst couldn’t say enough great things about the North Carolina star while revealing his way-too-early top 10 2024 NFL Draft prospects. Klatt explained why Maye is one of the best pro prospects at QB he has seen in the last couple of years.

“We saw him in that Holiday Bowl and I was so impressed,” Klatt said. “He is like a baby Josh Allen. He can grow into that. … Great player with great make-up. I think he’s going to be an outstanding pro that I believe would’ve gotten selected over any of the quarterbacks this year.”

Maye finished his redshirt freshman season with 4,321 yards, fourth most by any FBS quarterback, and threw 38 touchdowns compared to just seven interceptions. His 82.4 QBR ranked 10th in the country as well. Even more impressively, it was his first season as the team’s starter.

Under Maye’s guidance, North Carolina finished 9-5 last season after losing both of their outings in the postseason and their last four total. Before that, the Tar Heels were sitting at 9-1 before dropping their last two regular-season games by a combined seven points, getting blown out by Clemson in the ACC title game, and falling to Oregon by one point due to a touchdown in the final minute of the Holiday Bowl.

The Carolina quarterback is expected to have another stellar season in Chapel Hill. He recently revealed which of his wide receivers he is most excited to throw to this season.

“I think Nate (McCollum) and Tez (Devontez Walker) both, you know, great players, first off, and I think they’re great additions to the room,” Maye said after UNC’s spring game. “I think we got a couple guys coming back, (Gavin Blackwell) and Kobe (Paysour) that made some plays last year. And I think we got kind of got four with Andre Greene coming along, got five good ones and some of the young boys are coming along.”

Blackwell, Paysour and Greene are all returning and combined for 50 receptions for 589 yards and 6 touchdowns. Before transferring to UNC from Georgia Tech, McCollum compiled 75 catches for 778 yards and 4 touchdowns. Walker caught 58 passes for 921 yards and 11 scores at Kent State last season.

Maye has all of summer and fall training camp to develop chemistry with his new wideouts, and his passing prowess is set to be on full display for North Carolina’s season opener on Sept. 2 against South Carolina inside Bank of America Stadium.