Bill O'Brien shares candid assessment of Drake Maye's Patriots potential

Bill O'Brien shares his candid take on Drake Mayes' Patriots potential originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The New England Patriots will receive a lot more attention this Sunday than in previous weeks.

That's because highly touted rookie quarterback Drake Maye will make his first NFL start after backing up veteran Jacoby Brissett in Weeks 1-5.

Maye faces a tall task in Week 6, leading one of the league's worst offenses against a Houston Texans defense that has the highest QB pressure in the NFL. But is the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft talented enough to turn things around in New England after the team's 1-4 start?

Boston College head coach and former Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien knows a lot about developing a talented rookie from his time as the Texans' head coach from 2014 to 2020 with Deshaun Watson. O'Brien came along Patriots Pregame Live on Sunday to share his assessment of Maye and his expectations for the 22-year-old.

“I don't know if I would call it a roll of the dice, but I think expectations need to be lowered a little bit,” O'Brien said of Maye. “I know Drake. He's a really, really good player. I was at Alabama (as an OC in 2021 and 2022) right after they recruited him. … They valued him very much. An excellent football player. Really.” “good athlete, very smart, very instinctive, has a good arm, he’s accurate.”

However, as O'Brien pointed out, there is a big difference between the college game and the professional game. And although Maye got a brief taste of NFL action in Week 3 against the New York Jets, O'Brien believes there will be growing pains for the rookie.

“It's a different game. … It's a lot faster, the schemes are different,” O'Brien said. “As a rookie, sometimes you feel like you're almost playing in a phone booth because some of the teams you play against are so good on defense. So of course you have to give it time.”

O'Brien believes Maye has what it takes to be a successful quarterback, but he also preaches patience to fans in New England who want to see Maye succeed immediately.

“I believe in Drake,” O’Brien said. “From what I know of him, I think this guy is going to be really good. But it won’t happen overnight.”

Hear more from O'Brien on how the Patriots should pivot their offense around Maye, his thoughts on Jerod Mayo and more in the full interview below.