North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye will declare for the 2024 NFL draft, ending his college career, Pete Thamel of ESPN reports.
Maye will not play in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl against West Virginia.
The redshirt sophomore started all 26 games of his career the past two seasons, leaving school with a 17-9 record as a starter.
“Just sitting down with my family and the people I trust the most in life, including my coaches, this is the best decision for me and my future,” Maye told Thamel. “It was my lifelong dream to play quarterback at North Carolina, and I get a chance to check off another dream and play quarterback in the NFL.”
Maye is projected as one of the top picks in the 2024 draft and a contender for the top pick. The Panthers, with only one win, have the worst record in the NFL, but the Bears own the Panthers’ first-round pick.
In his career, Maye threw for 8,018 yards and 63 touchdowns, both of which rank him in the top five on UNC’s all-time passing list.
USC quarterback Caleb Williams, another potential contender to be the top draft pick this spring, has not announced his intentions.