2024 NFL mock draft: Why Drake Maye is the man for Chicago, while the top 10 is a run on offense

We decided it was a good idea to utilize the final 2023 edition of The Overhang as our next 2024 NFL mock draft, as a fourth of the NFL has officially been removed from playoff contention and even more teams have no chance of making the postseason.

1. Chicago Bears (via Carolina Panthers) — Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina

On this mock draft’s timeline, despite the best play of his career, the Bears move on from Justin Fields. Recouping draft capital to further stock the cupboard for Ryan Poles to work with.

I have no clue what the Bears will do with the No. 1 pick, but Maye has been and is currently my QB1 for this draft class, so I’m giving him the nod.

Why Maye over the talented Caleb Williams or even the reigning Heisman trophy winner Jayden Daniels?

In order to get the answer with Maye, you must first consider the abilities of the quarterbacks who are now succeeding and rising in the NFL.

They win first and foremost from within the pocket. Secondly, they can call their own number and get yards and first downs with their legs when all else fails or the offense needs it.

What separates the middle tier quarterbacks from the difference-makers is their ability to find basic answers and win inside the pocket, as well as when to push the ball when opportunities present themselves.

Like a baseball player who doesn’t just hit small-ball singles; instead, he or she produces a high slugging percentage and a high on-base percentage.

Maye is uber-aggressive. Ultra-aggressive. His willingness to push the ball is basically what made the monkeys crazy in “28 Days Later.”

Maye is able to attack this way because of his combination of size (6-foot-4, 229 pounds), athleticism and pocket awareness.

His footwork is bouncy in the pocket, where he constantly shows a feel for pressure (which he did often, considering North Carolina’s struggles in protection) and ability to drift and work away from it.

But that feel isn’t to just run and scramble. Instead, Maye keeps his eyes downfield while getting pressured to find ways to attack defenses:

Maye’s passing skill consists of more than simply his powerful arm and aggressive play style. Because of his arm talent, he is viable on all throws and concepts and accurate at all three levels.

Maye is routinely accurate on throws beneath and displays touch on intermediate throws to get it up and over defenders. Even when his receivers are closely covered, his throws and velocity provide them plenty of yards-after-catch opportunities:

Despite only being a redshirt sophomore, Maye also shows an advanced understanding for the real “quarterback” elements of the position. Although “game manager” can almost seem like a diss these days, Maye does a great job of controlling the line of scrimmage before the snap and getting the Tar Heels into the right play.

It’s also very telling that North Carolina’s coaching staff gave Maye the license to change protections and plays without first confirming with the sideline.

This play against North Carolina State was a great example of everything that Maye brings to the table: pre-snap operation (he changes the protection against a blitz look), plus progressing and an absolute dynamite throw on the move that pins it on his teammate:

Maye also has the all-important trait that shows up constantly with the top quarterbacks: although he is aggressive, Maye has the ability to avoid taking sacks.

Again, his strength and athleticism show up in this regard. He has the ability to get rid of throws while in the defender’s grasp, sometimes just to get an incompletion instead of losing yards but other times turning a loss into a gain:

Maye’s size and athleticism show up with his ability to avoid sacks and negative plays. Maye is a very aggressive quarterback who keeps his eyes downfield, he makes it work with good pocket movement and the ability to get rid of the ball even while getting tackled.

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