Drake Maye arrived in the upper echelon of quarterbacks in 2025. A Pro Bowler and second-team All-Pro selection, the sophomore QB also finished second in MVP voting and led the New England Patriots to a playoff berth and Super Bowl appearances.

Unsurprisingly, Maye is now one of the hottest names in the game. And yet, one can make the argument that he is still underrated as a player — at least if a new ESPN survey of coaches, scouts and executives is to be believed.

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Maye was voted the eighth-best QB in the game today by the more than 70 people who participated, with his ranking ranging from fifth to outside the top 10.

“Size, athleticism, accuracy, playmaking upside through the roof, poise and toughness,” an NFL coordinator said. “He had zero weapons and a shaky OL, and made it all work.”

Seven quarterbacks are ranked higher than Maye. The group includes some expected names such as Josh Allen (1), Patrick Mahomes (2), Matthew Stafford (3) and Lamar Jackson (5). There also are some names worth debating over: Joe Burrow (4), Dak Prescott (6) and Justin Herbert (7) also all finished ahead of the Patriots’ passer.

Why? According to one coach, Maye’s lack of experience and exposure plays a part in it:

“He’s really talented, but I need to see more,” a veteran NFC defensive coach said. “Other quarterbacks on this list have proven it over time, and he’s got to keep doing it.”

Ultimately, rankings such as these are a subjective exercise. What matters from a Patriots perspective is that the organization has found a franchise-caliber quarterback worth building around — where he finds himself on an ESPN offseason list is therefore ultimately irrelevant.