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North Carolina sophomore Drake Maye is one of the best quarterbacks in all of college football.
Maye, whose older brother Luke won an NCAA championship in basketball with the Tar Heels in 2017, threw for 4,115 yards, 35 touchdowns and just seven interceptions in his first full season as a starter.
The breakout season vaulted him to the top of both the 2023 Heisman Trophy discussion and 2024 NFL Draft boards. But many wondered if he’d stay with Mack Brown and UNC given the insane demand for transfer quarterbacks and an endless number of NIL options.
Brown said on Monday that a number of teams have illegally approached Maye about transferring.
“I can’t say [which teams are talking to Maye],” Brown told reporters. “Don’t ask Drake. He’s a young guy, and it’s uncomfortable for him. You know who they are. Just look at all the ones that are getting the top recruits. They’re the ones paying all the top money. You can figure that out. Take two of those 10, and you’re right. And there’s probably more than the two that I know of. – via 247Sports
While Pitt coach Pat Narduzi told local radio station 93.7 The Fan that Maye had even received a pair of $5 million offers.
Pitt Head Coach Pat Narduzzi says on @937theFan that he's heard 2 schools offered UNC QB Drake Maye $5 million to transfer. Wont's say who. But he knows who. Wow. Says it's gotten out of control and it's only going to get worse. Quote: "It's a sad, sad deal."
— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) December 20, 2022
But now Maye is speaking out, saying that Narduzzi spoke out of turn and was incorrect in his comments.
UNC Quarterback Drake Maye Calls Out Pat Narduzzi For Transfer Rumors
Maye recently spoke with ESPN’s Pete Thamel about the rumors and shot down Narduzzi, saying that he was incorrect in his comments.
“Those rumors weren’t really reality,” he told ESPN. He added: “Pitt’s coach ended up putting that out there. I don’t know what that was about. You have to enter the transfer portal to talk to these schools and hear these offers. For me, I think college football is going to turn into a mess. They’re going to have to do something. There was nothing to me or my family directly offered from any of these other schools. Nothing was said or offered to the Mayes.” – via ESPN
Maye added that he had heard of outside interest, but that no discussions actually took place with schools other than UNC.
“Some people were texting my high school coach about it. That’s mainly what happened, people reached out to some of my representatives and NIL media people.”
The Tar Heels began the season 9-1 before dropping their final two games of the regular season as well as the ACC championship game. Maye and company will take on 9-3 Oregon in the Holiday Bowl on Dec. 28.