UNC Football: Drake Maye Named Redshirt Freshman to Watch

The UNC football quarterback could put himself on the national radar if he wins the starting job in camp this month.

Quarterbacks Drake Maye and Jacolby Criswell are currently battling it out to see who will be the starter when UNC football kicks off its season later this month.  With Sam Howell off to the NFL, whoever lines up behind center will have a tall task following up the man most UNC fans feel is the best quarterback in Tar Heel history.

One media outlet is expecting Drake Maye to win the job and have a big year behind center for the Heels.  247 Sports recently announced a list of some of the top redshirt freshmen in the country, and Maye made the cut.  Here is what 247’s Chris Hummer had to say about the Huntersville, NC native:

"Drake Maye is locked in one of the most interesting QB battles of the offseason as he and Jacolby Criswell push to replace Sam Howell. Maye, a five-star QB in the Top247, is the highest-ranked quarterback to ever sign with the program. We’ll know the Monday of UNC’s Week 0 contest vs. Florida A&M which quarterback wins the starting job, but either way he’s going to be on the field this year. Given the system and the skill talent the Tar Heels claim at wide receiver, Maye could be a national breakout star if he wins the starting job."

With the season opener against Florida A&M now under two weeks away, it shouldn’t be long before we know if Maye will indeed be the week one starter.  Head Coach Mack Brown recently said that he would like to make that decision by Monday of game week, (August 22nd) but an announcement could come out before or after that date.

If Maye is the day one quarterback, it will be interesting to see how quickly he adapts to the college game.  Ranked as one of the top quarterbacks in his class, Maye was a five-star recruit that possessed all the tools to be successful at the next level.  At 6’5″ he has an NFL body and is known to have a strong and accurate arm.

While backing up Howell last year, (and splitting those reps with Criswell) Maye did not get many opportunities to showcase what he could do in-game action.  The redshirt freshman appeared in just four games last season, attempting only ten passes all year.  He saw extended time in just one game, completing seven of nine pass attempts and throwing for his first collegiate touchdown in the Tar Heels’ 34-14 win over Wofford.

It will be interesting to see if the coaching staff is willing to overlook Maye’s inexperience and name him the starting quarterback next week.  Regardless of whether or not he begins this season as the starter, Drake has a very bright future in Chapel Hill.

Follow us @KeepingItHeel on Twitter and like our fan page on Facebook for continued coverage of UNC football news, updates, and recruiting.