Patriots Projected to Land Drake Maye's New 'Favorite Target'

The New England Patriots are being predicted to land a major target for quarterback Drake Maye during the NFL offseason.

Jan 5, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) warms up before the start of the game against the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images / David Butler II-Imagn Images

The New England Patriots desperately need to put some weapons around quarterback Drake Maye this offseason, whether that means adding some pieces via free agency, trade or the NFL Draft.

Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda does not think the Patriots will mess around with the No. 4 overall pick, projecting New England to stay at that spot and select Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan.

"The Patriots need a left tackle, but McMillan is a special receiver prospect who will quickly become Drake Maye's favorite target," Pauline wrote.

This is hardly the first time New England has been linked to McMillan, and it certainly won't be the last.

McMillan is coming off of a fantastic 2024 campaign in which he hauled in 84 receptions for 1,319 yards and eight touchdowns.

The 21-year-old arrived at Arizona in 2022 and immediately established himself as a big-time weapon, catching 39 passes for 702 yards and eight scores. That was good for a robust average of 18 yards per catch.

He then snared 90 balls for 1,402 yards while reaching the end zone 10 times during his sophomore season.

The Pats have plenty of cap room and can also add some legitimate weapons in free agency, but in the event that they strike out like last year, McMillan would absolutely represent a terrific pickup.

The Patriots currently have the worst group of wide receivers in football, and hardly anyone would argue that fact.

With Maye now under center, New England must prioritize rectifying the issue during the offseason. That being said, the Pats also have a plethora of other issues they must address, such as finding some protection for Maye up front.

We'll see what direction the Patriots decide to go in the coming months.

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