In an interview with ESPN on Friday, Drake Maye downplayed rumors of multi-million dollar offers for him to transfer away from UNC this offseason.

Maye told ESPN’s Pete Thamel that the rumors weren’t “reality.” He also addressed Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi’s claim that Maye had a $5 million offer on the table from another program.

“Those rumors weren’t really reality,” he told ESPN. “Pitt’s coach ended up putting that out there. I don’t know what that was about. You have to enter the transfer portal to talk to these schools and hear these offers. For me, I think college football is going to turn into a mess. They’re going to have to do something. There was nothing to me or my family directly offered from any of these other schools. Nothing was said or offered to the Mayes.”

Maye also acknowledged his deep ties to the university. His father, Mark Maye, played quarterback at Carolina in the 1980’s. His older brother, Luke Maye, played basketball in Chapel Hill. Another brother, Beau Maye, is currently a walk-on with the Tar Heels’ basketball program.

Maye said leaving Carolina wasn’t an option.

“It wouldn’t sit right, especially with all my family,” Maye told ESPN. “Switching it up after everything the Mayes went through wouldn’t represent what the university means to me or how much it means for me to go there. It’d mess up the mojo and all we’ve built there. That Carolina blue is special. There’s no other color in the world that meaningful.”

Maye was the ACC Player of the Year in 2022. He’s currently projected to be a top pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Maye will be in action again later this month against Oregon in the Holiday Bowl.