UNC QB Drake Maye declares for NFL draft; will miss Duke's Mayo Bowl

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UNC star QB Drake Maye has announced that he will be declaring for the NFL draft. He will also skip the Duke's Mayo Bowl vs. West Virginia as he prepares for the draft.

"First off, I want to thank the good Lord for the ways in which he continues to bless my life," he said on social media. "I want to thank my family and friends for the consistent support through the ups and downs.

"Thank you, Coach (Mack) Brown, for the opportunity to live out my dream of playing quarterback in Carolina Blue. To the rest of the coaching staff, thank you for the countless hours of helping me along the way. Tar Heel Nation, the best best fans out there. You have made my time at UNC truly special, thank y’all. I have decided to forgo the bowl game and declare for the NFL Draft. Forever and always, Go Heels!"

Maye, who's considered one of the best QBs in the nation, threw for 3,608 yards and 24 TDs this season, and posted a passing efficiency rating of 149. He was stellar last season, tossing 4,321 yards, 38 TDs and seven INT on a 66.2 completion percent.

His 8,018 yards are fifth on UNC's passing list, while his 63 TDs are fourth in school history. Maye led the Tar Heels to the ACC Championship game in 2022, while they peaked as high as 10th nationally after starting this season 6-0.

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Maye, or USC QB Caleb Williams – who has yet to declare his intentions for next season – is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the draft. Maye is currently the second betting favorite at +400.

"In most drafts, he'd go No. 1," an executive said. "His skill set reminds me of Eli Manning coming out of college. He's a pure, smooth pocket passer who has a great release. He'll fit in an offense based on timing and three-step and five-step drops and throwing the ball to spots, a franchise where ball placement and timing is put at a premium."

"Just sitting down with my family and the people I trust the most in life, including my coaches," Maye said of his decision. "This is the best decision for me and my future. It was my lifelong dream to play quarterback at North Carolina, and I get a chance to check off another dream and play quarterback in the NFL.

He emphasized his excitement to show teams what he can do at the next level.

"First off, moving on from college and getting back into workout mode and really just learning the steps of preparing the NFL draft," Maye explained regarding his mindset towards the future. "Not only physically but mentally. Playing quarterback in the NFL is a mental game. I want to show the NFL not only my competitive edge, but that I'm a winner and a leader, and I'm ready to take on a franchise."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.