Mike Vrabel is Mentoring Drake Maye to Become the Patriots True Alpha. Which is Terrible News for the Rest of the NFL.

Maddie Meyer. Getty Images.

I was talking with someone last week about the Patriots and was asked who I thought the team captains would be. An interesting question in that it's not really anything I take guesses at. They're just announced toward the end of camp and we just go from there. I mean, to the best of my knowledge there's not a betting market or Fantasy drafts on this issue. The names are announced and that, typically is that. But since I had to guess, I'm going with Jabrill Peppers (again) and Milton Williams on defense, Brendan Schooler on special teams, and Hunter Henry, Morgan Moses and of course Drake Maye on offense. 

To my surprise, the person who asked the question doubted it would be Maye. Not this year. Their argument being that at just 23 years old this coming season and with just 12 career starts, it's too soon. And in one of my rare moments of bringing up Star Wars in a Patriots conversation, I countered that not giving him the "C" would be like when the Jedi Council wouldn't let Anakin become a Master:

It would be outrageous. It would be unfair. I'm not for one hot second Maye would end up slaughtering a bunch of Younglings, turn to the Dark Side and join the Buffalo Bills. But it would certainly be seen as a slap in the facemask. A sure sign that Pats management doesn't think he can't handle the responsibility that comes with genuine leadership. And make everyone question why he's the QB1 if they don't trust him with that task.

It would appear we've nothing to worry about:

Source -  Maye as leader: The Patriots are hoping that quarterback Drake Maye evolves into more of a leader in his second NFL season. A drill implemented by first-year coach Mike Vrabel at voluntary organized team activities -- which has seldom, if ever, been seen before on the Patriots' practice field -- was one way to possibly accelerate that process.

It thrust Maye into the spotlight in an adverse situation that tested all players' physical and mental toughness.

Here's how it unfolded: At the end of the most recent practice open to reporters, Vrabel lined up the entire offense along the goal line, with Maye in the middle, and implored Maye to decisively call out the cadence before everyone ran a sprint on the correct snap count.

Once … twice … three times … and they kept sprinting after that.

Many players were gassed by the end, which is as close to the maximum physical exertion that can happen in a voluntary spring practice. Offensive lineman Cole Strange, for example, came to the interview area after practice still breathing heavily based on the high-intensity sprints.

As the drill progressed, which included changeups of Vrabel telling Maye to call out of a "dummy" snap count to see if any players might jump early, Maye had to make sure his voice was heard from sideline to sideline.

The Patriots tweeted a picture of the drill, with Maye leading the pack and Vrabel watching closely to see if anyone left early -- a whistle around his neck as he enthusiastically-but-demandingly prodded players to dig deeper.

Perhaps that explains further what veteran running back Rhamondre Stevenson said when asked what he's observed from Maye in recent weeks.

"He's a leader. He has that kind of 'oomph' to him," Stevenson said.

For the second time today, I'm going to quote my late brother Jack. (Which I am prone to do anytime I'm talking about this franchise. Today I'm just admitting it.) When the Pats drafted Maye he called him, "a puppy with big paws." Meaning he's got a lot of developing to do, but he's going to grow into those giant paws before our eyes. This drill, the role Vrabel has given him which is separate and distinct from the other 90-something players in camp, his voice alone as the one being listened to, is him growing into his paws one step at a time. 

Stevenson would know. He's been here through Mac Jones, Bailey Zappe, Jacoby Brissett, Joe Milton and Maye. He's seen what it takes to run a huddle filled with high-testosterone adrenaline-fueled rage monsters and emerge as the one they all look to for guidance. It's one of those character traits that's hard to define, but you know it when you see it. 

British General Bernard Montgomery famously said, "My own definition of leadership is this: The capacity and the will to rally men and women to a common purpose and the character which inspires confidence." Which is as good a definition as I can think of. But Stevenson's "oomph" works even better. Maye has that kind of "oomph" to him. Which is exactly what a team that's been plagued by insufficient "oomph" for years needs more than anything. 

And when it comes to leadership, it takes one to know one. Vrabel was that guy on three Super Bowl champions. He understands what it takes, because he was the living embodiment of it. To bag my limit of Star Wars references, "Always two there are. A Master, and an Apprentice." Maye's apprenticeship has begun, but he'll be full Master by the time the captain's "C"s are given out. And then his assault on the football world can officially begin. 

The Summer of Hope is going along exactly according to plan. Have mercy, I cannot wait for the season to start.