PFN’s Football Debate Club asked who you would want to build an NFL franchise around. Drake Maye is the quarterback to build around in 2026, and the case does not require pretending he has already passed Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson or Joe Burrow. Building a franchise is a different question than ranking the best arms in football today, and on that question the 23-year-old Patriots passer checks every box that matters.
Why Drake Maye Wins the Franchise-Cornerstone Debate
The distinction sits at the center of the pick. “I wouldn’t take [Maye] over those guys in 2026, but if I’m starting a franchise today, age and upside matter just as much as current talent,” PFN Analyst Brandon Austin said. That logic rewards a young player still climbing over a proven star closer to the back nine of his prime.
If you were starting an NFL team from scratch today, which current player would you want to be the face of your franchise? pic.twitter.com/60W6VidYhg
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) July 3, 2026
Maye backs the projection with production. In his first full season as a starter, he threw for 4,394 yards with 31 touchdowns and 8 interceptions, added 450 rushing yards and four scores, and led the NFL in completion rate at 72%, passer rating at 113.5, yards per attempt at 8.9 and expected points added per dropback at plus-0.31. He finished as the MVP runner-up and earned second-team All-Pro honors behind Matthew Stafford.
The contract pushes him to the front of the line. Maye is entering the third year of his rookie deal and will earn just under 10 million dollars combined over the next two seasons, which hands New England the cap room to build around him before an extension resets the math. A top-five quarterback on a rookie contract is the most valuable asset in the sport, and Maye is exactly that.
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“[Maye] is only 23 years old, entering year 3, and it already feels like he’s just scratching the surface,” Austin said. The surrounding results back the optimism. Under first-year coach Mike Vrabel, the Patriots jumped from back-to-back 4-13 seasons to 14-3, grabbed the AFC’s No. 2 seed and won their first AFC East title since 2019.
What A.J. Brown Adds to Drake Maye’s 2026 Ceiling
The projection carries two honest cautions. Maye posted the easiest strength of schedule in the league, which is part of why some MVP and All-Pro voters leaned toward Stafford. The postseason exposed the rest, as New England reached Super Bowl LX and lost 29-13 to Seattle on Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium, with Maye turning the ball over three times. Year 3 is where he answers both.
The roster around him improved in the meantime. New England sent a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder to Philadelphia for A.J. Brown, reuniting the three-time Pro Bowl receiver with Vrabel, his old head coach in Tennessee, and finally giving Maye a true No. 1 target. Brown’s downfield profile fits a passer who already leads the league in the efficiency numbers that decide games.
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“If [Maye] takes another leap in year 3, don’t be surprised if he’s the one holding the MVP trophy next season,” Austin said. Build around a 23-year-old who led the NFL in accuracy and efficiency, costs almost nothing against the cap and just added a star receiver, and that MVP call stops sounding like a reach. If the goal is a franchise rather than a single season, Maye is the answer.