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Barring the unexpected, Drake Maye will play his last home game Saturday night against Duke.
Social media is full of news that Maye has not decided whether to enter the 2024 NFL draft. This, of course, is wishful thinking from people who want the star quarterback to keep on slinging it for the Tar Heels. But name a college athlete who revealed such an intention before his last season ended.
Maye not making an official announcement is the policy of players who are considering it. He does not want the added media attention, so he will deal with the ongoing speculation as he tries to lead his team to an ACC championship or, at least, a major bowl game.
For his head coach, however, there is no other choice but to turn pro.
“It’s absolute,” Mack Brown said this week. “He’s gonna be a first-round draft choice and make a whole lot of money. Is it best for me if he stays? Absolutely. But that’s not who we are. If my son came in and asked me, I would say, go.”
Brown has been through this before, with Sam Howell two years ago and Vince Young, his national championship quarterback at Texas. “Vince said to me, ‘I’m gonna make $20 million if I leave. What do you think?’ I said, I’d be outta here, man. Go.”
As his team slipped up and lost two games to heavy underdogs, Maye has almost disappeared from the Heisman Trophy hopeful list. But that has nothing to do with his pro potential and how much NFL teams still like him. Brown said he rarely speaks to coaches, general managers or owners of NFL teams, although he knows most of them. But he welcomes pro scouts into his practices and chats with them. His senior advisor and former coach and pro scout Darrell Moody does most of it.
“Darryl does a tremendous job and was an 18-year pro scout,” Brown said. “So he knows the general managers, the owners. And I’ve let him talk to all of those people and our players because it’s really hard for an assistant coach to say, ‘I think you ought to leave.’ They want them to come back so bad. Darrell takes an independent position and tells players, here’s what they’re saying about you. The kids trust him, and they know that he’s telling them exactly what he has heard, not what he thinks they should do.”
So, barring a serious injury that Maye might have to rehab while the pro combines are going on, he will say goodbye to Tar Heel fans Saturday night, even though he won’t participate in Senior Night ceremonies before the game.
“He thinks Senior Night should be for the seniors,” Brown said.
Featured image via Associated Press/John Bzemore
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Senior Night (where seniors say “good-bye” to the fans) is certainly for seniors, and what a fitting way for a “senior” to go out in style. And the most Senior of them all? Mack Brown! So Mack needs to say “good-bye” to the fans, who can express their sincere gratitude for 5 FANtastic years back in Chapel Hill. It will be darn near impossible to replace him and his slightly over 50 percent winning percentage the last 9 years (including 4 at Texas), but we can certainly try. So as much as we hate to see Maye, Gray, and the rest of the seniors (and numerous transfers out) leave UNC, Mack needs to ride off into the sunset and bask in the glory of returning UNC football to near stardom and occasional top 20 billing!