Drake Maye To Stay Away From Certain Jersey Number With Patriots

FOXBORO, Mass. — Drake Maye’s Patriots jersey sported the customary No. 1 given to the team’s top draft choice when he met the media at Gillette Stadium on Friday.

But that number won’t be staying on the back of Maye’s jersey for long.

Maye, who the Patriots drafted third overall Thursday night, revealed what jersey number he will wear when he puts on the uniform for real and also said there was one number he wholeheartedly would stay away from.

“I think I’m going to stay with 10. As long as it ain’t 12, fill those shoes,” Maye said. “But think I’m going to stay with 10. This is a number I wore in high school and college. Just keep it the same.”

No. 10 is available for Maye to take. The number used to belong to Mac Jones, but he was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars earlier this offseason. New England certainly will hope Maye has much more success than Jones did in a Patriots uniform.

Maye got an actual look at his jersey with a No. 10 on the back when he saw his dressing area in the Patriots locker room. The organization already doing that seemed to break away from a longtime Bill Belichick tradition, in which the legendary head coach would put rookies in numbers starting in the 50s during the offseason program. It was a reminder to rookies that they had to earn their spot on an NFL roster.

It’s also smart for Maye to stay away from the iconic No. 12 — not that the Patriots would have allowed him to wear it anyway.

While Maye idolized Cam Newton as a kid, he can’t help but admire Tom Brady and all that he accomplished in a Patriots uniform.

“Any quarterback has got be a Tom Brady fan, what he did,” Maye said. “I think they’re already talking about June 12 (Brady’s Patriots Hall of Fame ceremony) is going to be sold out for Tom and the celebration for him. Would be honored to get to meet him, get to pick his brain. One of the greatest to ever do it.”