Jets’ second-round pick Marcus Maye was invited to the Draft in Philadelphia, but the University of Florida product decided to stay home to walk across a different stage.

“I have graduation early Saturday morning,” he told Eric Allen after he
was selected by the Green & White. “That’s been one of my mom’s biggest things for me. She’s always pushed school and grades first. The fact that I came back for my last year to graduate, walk across the stage and get that degree is something I’ve always wanted to do for her.”

Despite being eligible to declare for the 2016 Draft, the 6’0″, 210-pounder returned to Gainesville for his senior year to complete his degree in African American studies.

If I make a promise to anybody I want to follow it through — and this one was to my mom,” Maye said in an interview with SEC Country. “No one in my immediate family has graduated from college. The fact she wanted me to do that — not just play football, but also graduate — has been in the back of mind and knowing that the last year has always been a motivation for me**.”