Maye Says His Plan is to Play in Carolina's Bowl Game
CHAPEL HILL – Might Saturday night be the last time Drake Maye playing a football game for North Carolina?
Perhaps so, but maybe not.
The Tar Heels head to NC State to renew their heated rivalry, and with it being the final game of the regular season, and with Maye projected as one of the top few picks in the NFL Draft for next April, it’s a legitimate question. So, he was asked Tuesday during UNC’s player interviews at the Kenan Football Center.
“No, I really haven’t given it much thought,” Maye said. “I think any time you’re playing State and you’re at North Carolina, this is all I’m focused about, and I’m dedicating (to) this all my all to go out there and beat State.”
Fair enough, but Maye didn’t stop there, he added to his reply.
“That stuff comes after the regular season,” he said. “And my plan’s to play in the bowl game.”
So as of now, Maye says he intends on playing in the bowl game, wherever it might be against a currently unknown opponent. The task at hand for the Tar Heels is to take care of business against a surging Wolfpack team that has won its last four games. UNC, on the other hand, has lost three of its last five contests, and the two wins were over an FCS team and at home in double-overtime against Duke.
This is a rivalry game, and Maye would rather focus on that and not his future. There is plenty of time for that.
“It’s the same type of thing playing at Clemson, playing at State; to 8-3 football teams,” he said, noting last weekend’s loss to the Tigers. “(It’s) what we come here to play for, and it’s going to be one you don’t want to miss out on.”
A redshirt sophomore, Maye has completed 63.8 percent of his pass attempts this season for 3,354 yards, 22 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He has also run the ball for eight scores.
the 2022 ACC Player of the Year, Maye has been regarded as a potential top pick since last season. In fact, UNC Coach Mack Brown said last spring he was told by an NFL scout Maye would have been the first player selected last year if he would have been eligible to come out.
Players are not eligible for the NFL Draft until they are three years removed from high school, which is the case for Maye. And while the expectations are he will head to the next level when this season is over, he sys it’s counterproductive to think about a bowl game or anything else, especially with such a big game still to play.
“It doesn’t really help, and it doesn’t really do anything for the future,” he said. So, I’m just trying to worry about where my feet’s at and kind of handle those problems after.”
The Tar Heels (8-3 overall, 4-3 ACC) and Wolfpack (8-3, 5-2) kick off at 8 PM, as UNC will attempt to avenge consecutive losses to State.