FOXBORO — For good and for bad, it was an eventful day of training camp for rookie quarterback Drake Maye.
The 2024 third overall pick awoke a quiet crowd of Patriots fans by uncorking a 50-yard bomb to rookie wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk down the right sideline over cornerback Azizi Hearn late in practice during an 11-on-11 session. Just four snaps later — one of which was botched from backup center Nick Leverett — Maye threw his first interception of training camp. Looking flustered after going through his reads, Maye tried to toss the ball on an outlet to the left to running back Rhamondre Stevenson, but outside linebacker Matthew Judon was prowling in the area, ready pick off the pass.
“Just a rookie mistake, no pun intended,” Maye said after practice. “Had a deep shot, and I was going to throw to the flat late, and in this league, they’re going to cover the running back. So you’ve got to make sure you look out there before you throw it.”
Veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who was the first to congratulate his rookie teammate after big plays, liked how Maye was able to rebound from the interception.
“Like a professional. Today, he throws a pick, the next play he throws a completion. Those are the learning curves and the NFL moment you need out here. That’s what I told him. That’s the game right there. That was his game today. He went out there and won the day,” Brissett said. “So, just little things like that, I do it myself after bad plays, bounce back and make a good play.”
Maye immediately tossed a completion to veteran wide receiver Jalen Reagor. He completed three more passes in his next period of 11-on-11s to rookie David Wallis, Polk and running back JaMycal Hasty while mixing in a scramble.
“You can’t ride the ups and downs,” Maye added. “You’ve got to come at it, every play is a new play. You can’t be too hard on yourself, especially throwing your first interception. Yeah, just gotta bounce back. It’s how you bounce back in this league. I’ve started to learn that. It’s a lot different in the game when it really matters. That’s what practice is for.”
Maye, who was 17-of-23 with the interception overall during team drills and 8-of-11 with an interceptoin in 11-on-11s, gave credit to Polk for his big completion, believing he could have made a better play himself.
“Yeah, he made a nice catch. It wasn’t a great throw. But Polk make a nice catch, great player,” Maye said. “Gotta look off the safety a little bit, but he made a nice play. Just give him a chance, right? Give those guys a chance. That’s what he’s here for. It’s what he’s making plays for. Looking forward to seeing more JP.”
Maye was once again one of the first Patriots players on the field 16 minutes early for practice and one of the last to come off. Brissett led individual and team drills with Maye getting second-team reps.
Maye was mostly accurate during individual drills but struggled slightly while throwing out routes, delivering high passes to tight end La’Michael Pettway and wide receiver Kawaan Baker. The rookie was 5-of-6 during his first set of 7-on-7s. Brissett ran up and gave him a high five after completing a skinny post to tight end Hunter Henry in the middle of the field.
Maye’s first pass of team drills was batted by linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley on a pass to running back Rhamondre Stevenson and probably should have been picked off. He then completed passes to Henry, tight end Austin Hooper and Stevenson.
He was just 2-of-4 during his first set of 11-on-11s. He was wide on a play-action pass to tight end Hunter Henry, and wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster fell down on his next incompletion. He then completed a screen to wide receiver K.J. Osborn and a short pass to Stevenson.
Maye’s first pass of his next period of 7-on-7s went in no man’s land between Polk and rookie wide receiver Javon Baker. He was 4-of-6 in the period, but rookie JaQuae Jackson had to dive for one catch. He also threw completions to running back Kevin Harris, wide receiver Kayshon Boutte and Baker.
Maye closed out 11-on-11s by going 6-of-7 with the deep pass to Polk and the interception to Judon.
“There’s some plays where I think I’m doing a good job, and some plays where I think I can do a better job,” Maye said. “I’m just trying to make it where I’m not missing the read or not necessarily missing the ready or not making it through the read as quickly as I need to out here more than one time in a row. Hey, I’m out here in practice. What’s today? Today’s Friday, right? If I make the same mistake today as Wednesday, I’m not making any progress. Trying to keep that balance and just keep going at it. You’re gonna make mistakes. That’s what practice if for so I’ll just keep my head up and come back out there and sling around.”
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