CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — UNC-Chapel Hill’s quarterback Drake Maye, one of the top NFL prospects in college football, is forgoing the remainder of his eligibility at UNC to declare for the NFL draft, ESPN reported.
Maye, a sophomore from Charlotte, started all 26 games of his career during the last two seasons at UNC.
[ Drake Maye throws 2 TDs, No. 21 North Carolina has 9 sacks in 31-17 win over South Carolina ]
He told ESPN he will not play in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl against West Virginia. He’ll leave school with a 17-9 record as a starter.
Maye is a contender for the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming NFL draft, and his decision to declare sets the stage for a potential months-long debate for that spot. USC quarterback Caleb Williams has not declared his intentions for 2024, but Williams has also made clear he’s not playing in the postseason this year.
Over his North Carolina career, Maye threw for 8,018 yards, which is No. 5 all-time on UNC’s passing list, ESPN reported. His 63 touchdowns leave him No. 4 overall on UNC’s all-time list.
Maye led UNC to the ACC championship game in 2022, as they started the season 9-1 and ascended to as high as No. 13 in the rankings. This season, UNC began the year 6-0 and climbed as high as No. 10.
Maye is 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds and fits the archetype of the classic NFL quarterback.
Read more of ESPN’s report here.
On Tuesday, receiver Tez Walker announced he’s also declaring for the draft. That follows an announcement also made on Monday from teammate Cedric Gray.
The NCAA, after months of back and forth, ruled Walker eligible just days before his debut game in October.
Walker had to sit out while the NCAA reviewed his request for eligibility after transferring to UNC. He transferred from Kent State to be closer to his family in Charlotte. He had enrolled at UNC in January, just days before the NCAA revised rules to limit waivers for two-time transfers on a case-by-case basis.