New York Jets Select Former Holy Trinity, UF Star Marcus Maye With 39th Pick In NFL Draft

Stayed home to attend graduation at UF

ABOVE VIDEO: Former Holy Trinity and Florida Gator star Marcus Maye was selected by the New York Jets with the 39th pick in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft on Friday night.

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Reggie Nelson, Laurent Robinson, Zach Thomas, Wilber Marshall, Chis Collinsworth, Doug Flutie, Leon Bright, James Folston, Bubba McDowell, Gerald White, Kim Hammond, Mel Mitchell, Leonard Weaver and Joe Kohlbrand all played on Brevard County football fields and then went onto play in the NFL. You can now add former Holy Trinity and Florida Gator star Marcus Maye to the list.

Maye was selected by the New York Jets with the 39th pick in the second round on Friday night in the NFL Draft.

Maye originally starred in youth football in West Melbourne and his former coach Daryl Durand said, “Marcus was always the type of young man growing up you knew was destined to make it to the top.”

“It was always ‘yes sir, no sir’ and ‘yes coach,’ and he was always willing to help his teammates get better, and make himself better. The Jets have drafted a talented individual on and off the field.”

Maye received the call from his new team at his mom’s home in Melbourne Beach. He declined the invitation to attend the draft because he promised his mother he would walk across the stage and accept his diploma for graduation at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

Maye played his high school ball at Holy Trinity for now Heritage coach Mark Ainsley. He battled injuries at Holy Trinity but still managed to stand out on both sides of the ball. He averaged 10-plus yards per carry and recorded 42 tackles on defense during his senior season.

Maye caught the eyes of college scouts with 320 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns vs. Heritage High at the end of his senior season.

ABOVE VIDEO: Former Holy Trinity and Florida Gator star Marcus Maye was selected by the New York Jets with the 39th pick in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft on Friday night.

Maye stayed in state and played for the Florida Gators, and after he redshirted in 2012, he played in all 12 games in 2013 and made two starts at safety, recording 16 tackles on the year with 1.0 tackle-for-loss. Had his first career interception against Tennessee and returned it 30 yards.

The following season in Gainesville, Maye played in 11 games and started nine times at both safety and the nickel positions. He totaled 62 tackles on the year, third most on the team, and most among defensive backs.

In his junior season, Maye played in 13 games and started 12 times at safety. He recorded 82 tackles, fourth most on the team, and was named a First Team All-American by USA Today and Pro Football Focus.

He earned honorable mention All-America honors from Sports Illustrated and was named First Team All-SEC by PFF and Gridiron Now.

Maye then chose to return for his senior campaign and was playing at a high level before breaking his left arm on senior day against South Carolina.

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ABOVE VIDEO: Former Holy Trinity and Florida Gator star Marcus Maye was selected by the New York Jets with the 39th pick in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft on Friday night.

Despite missing the final four games with the injury, Maye finished fourth on the Gators with 50 total tackles. He also had an interception, six pass break-ups and a sack. That injury would also limit his postseason showcase opportunities for NFL scouts, but it did not dampen his draft stock.

After skipping the physical tests at the 2017 NFL Combine while recovering from the broken arm, Maye made his impression at Florida’s pro day.

The website DraftAnalyst.com reported his 40-yard dash times between 4.47 and 4.52 seconds, vertical jump was marked around 34-35 inches.

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ABOVE VIDEO: Former Holy Trinity and Florida Gator star Marcus Maye was selected by the New York Jets with the 39th pick in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft on Friday night. Above is a look at Maye during his career at Holy Trinity.

Between showing he was healed and healthy after the injury, and his game film from the past few years, Maye was able to put together a compelling case for why teams in need of a safety should look his way on draft day despite being overshadowed at times by the other stars on Florida’s defense in recent years.

He was consistently an understated contributor to a secondary led by future first-round NFL draft picks Vernon Hargreaves III and Keanu Neal in 2015, and then star cornerbacks Jalen Tabor and Quincy Wilson in 2016.

But overshadowed no more, Maye is yet another Brevard County standout that will grace the fields of the NFL.

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