The Falcons are eager to move up in the draft for a quarterback, with Drake Maye being a particular focus of interest for Atlanta, as reported by Cam Marino “@MarinoNFL” for nfldraftbuzz.com. “Drake Maye has caught their attention.”

As 2023 came to a close and teams like the Falcons were preparing for 2024, it appeared that there were plenty of strong choices available at quaterback. Some intriguing free agents seemed within reach, although Kirk Cousins and Baker Mayfield might end up extending their contracts with their current teams.

Justin Fields presented a promising but underachieving option in the trade market, which remains a possibility. Factors like his contract, slow progress, and Terry Fontenot’s decision to overlook him in the 2021 NFL Draft make it less likely. Then again, considering the Falcons’ history of passing over Raheem Morris initially but eventually hiring him, it wouldn’t be surprising if they did the same with Fields.

Armed with a plethora of draft picks, the Falcons appear poised to trade up in the draft. Potentially offering multiple first-round picks to teams like the Cardinals or Chargers, who already had established quarterbacks, in order to secure the opportunity to draft Drake Maye.

During his tenure as a starting quarterback for the Tar Heels, Maye emerged as one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in the program’s history. He ranks fifth in passing yards (8,018 yards), fourth in total offense (9,227 yards), fourth in passing touchdowns (63), and tied for third in total touchdowns (79).

This season, Maye topped the ACC charts with an average of 300.7 passing yards and 338 total yards per game. In the previous season, Maye earned the title of ACC Player of the Year and guided the Tar Heels to the ACC Championship game.

It will be interesting to see what the falcons do in the coming weeks, ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft.

For the latest NFL draft news follow @vinquezada1 on X.

By Vincent Quezada

Photo courtesy of Derrick Tuskan/ UNC Athletics