Van Noy describes what Drake Maye was like with players at Pro Bowl
Van Noy describes what Drake Maye was like with players at Pro Bowl originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
You could debate whether Drake Maye, who didn't make his first NFL start until Week 6 and finished 23rd in the league in passer rating, deserved to be at this year's Pro Bowl festivities.
But the New England Patriots rookie clearly made the most of his invite to Orlando.
In addition to contributing on the field — Maye aired out a touchdown pass to Cincinnati Bengals star Ja'Marr Chase during the AFC-NFC flag football game — Maye also was busy off the field, getting to know some of the NFL's best players and even trying to recruit a few of them to New England.
'Got to know some of the guys, tell them a little bit about Boston, about Foxboro, about Gillette Stadium, the fanbase,' Maye told FanDuel TV's Kay Adams earlier this week. 'Definitely a time to get to know some guys and let them know that the Pats got some things to make some moves this offseason.'
So, what kind of an impression did Maye make on his NFL brethren in Orlando? Baltimore Ravens linebacker Kyle Van Noy, who spent five total seasons in New England and made his first Pro Bowl this year, spoke quite highly of the 22-year-old Thursday on Arbella Early Edition.
'Honestly, I had a great time with him at the Pro Bowl,' Van Noy said of Maye, as seen in the video above. 'I will say, everybody — he is somebody that you should be really excited about.
'Love Drake Maye. I love his attitude. I think he has a great attitude, a great spirit about him, and he's hungry to get better. Especially him being at the Pro Bowl, he was super — kind of like a kid in a candy store, right? Some of his favorite players are there, he got to throw a touchdown to Ja'Marr Chase; I mean, how cool is that?'
Van Noy added that Maye even autographed his jersey, a sign of mutual respect between the 11-year veteran and the young rookie.
Maye doesn't have to sell Van Noy on New England — the veteran linebacker won two Super Bowls with the Patriots — but it's encouraging to hear that Maye exuded a positive vibe among the league's best players. And while New England may not be a top destination for free agents right now — due in part to cold weather, high taxes and the team's 8-26 record over the last two seasons — Maye can play a large role in changing that perception.
'I think it's selling the city, selling the fans,' Maye told our Phil Perry this week when asked about his recruiting pitch to players. 'They love you when you're winning, which we need to do. They're behind our back, and I think we've got something to look forward to in Boston.'
At present, Maye is Reason No. 1 for that optimism.
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