​New England Patriots star Drake Maye had a breakout year in 2025, but was that enough to lift him into the status of being one of the NFL’s best franchise players ahead of next season?According to Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon, Maye is the top overall franchise player in the league for teams to build around at the present.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“The schedule was soft, but the 23-year-old blew away expectations in building on a promising rookie campaign,” Gagnon said. “He’s already an elite weapon down the field as well as with his legs, and now he’s got plenty of big-game experience entering Year 3.”Maye did it all in 2025, throwing for over 4,000 yards, leading the league in completion rate at 72 percent and leading the Patriots to the Super Bowl at the end of the season.He checked all of the boxes when it comes to metrics that quarterbacks are evaluated on. He outpaced superstars, such as Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson, and he is anticipated to have another prolific season in 2026.Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Patriots’ Drake Maye ranked as best franchise player to build around