Will Levis was viewed by many analysts in the days leading up to the 2023 NFL Draft as a top-five pick. By the end of Day 1, his name remained on the board. He was eventually made a second-rounder, a decent fall from his thought-to-be-high draft slot. It's a common occurrence on draft weekend, a player plummeting seemingly out of nowhere despite mock drafts predicting different results in the months prior.
The 2024 NFL Draft will be no different, and North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye is already being viewed by some as a potential faller relative to his general mock draft landing spots. NFL Network’s Lance Zierlein recently had Maye falling to No. 5. He wrote that Maye’s 2023 season was inconsistent, which is fair to say, but also cited his talent.
Now, a “fall” to No. 5 isn’t a dramatic drop — more of a conversation starter. Right now, Maye’s average draft position in the PFF Mock Draft Simulator is 2.6. That isn’t too surprising, as Maye has steadily been a top-five selection throughout the draft cycle.
However, there have been some rumblings of Maye not being as highly regarded in NFL circles as he is by draft media. USC quarterback Caleb Williams is the favorite to go No. 1 overall, a sentiment echoed for the better part of a year now, and LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels' draft stock has soared into the top five. But just because Daniels' stock has risen doesn’t mean Maye’s should shrink.
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