Will this be Maye Day?

Or just another “mayday!”

The smart money says the Patriots are going to take North Carolina QB Drake Maye with the No. 3 pick in the NFL Draft tonight.

DraftKings has Maye at -330 to go third.

Will the Patriots be making that selection?

The smart money says that is more probable than not.

A brand-new red, white and blue dawn breaks in Foxboro. For the first time in 25 years, the Patriots participate in an NFL Draft without Bill Belichick.

The team, at least as of press time, holds its highest draft pick since Bill Parcells picked up Drew Bledsoe while shopping at Market Basket with the No. 1 overall choice in 1993.

Talk of what the Patriots should do with the No. 3 pick has drowned out the start of baseball season, along with the NBA and NHL playoffs.

(Is anyone else up for a ban on Nordic goaltenders and defensemen?)

“The Fall Guy” is coming to a theatre near you. But Belichick’s exit means “the fall guy” has left Foxboro.

Robert and Jonathan Kraft no longer have their version of Nixon to kick around anymore.

Belichick will be dispensing grunts and mumbles on the draft via the Pat McAfree Show tonight. Perhaps his pampered pooch Nike makes another Draft Day appearance. No doubt both will dog the Patriots.

Spare me any thrill about insight from the Patriots’ former coach. Until Belichick offers a full and complete on-the-record explanation as to why Malcolm Butler only took one snap in Super Bowl 52, nothing else he says is worth the decibels.

The Lucky Sperm Club – which boasts a significant NFL membership – dominates the Patriots War Room. Jonathan Kraft has emerged as Michael Corleone to Robert’s Vito.

And Eliot Wolf is following in his dad’s footsteps as a would-be NFL GM. But no one believes Wolf – the Lamb of Route 1 – has full and final say over what the team will do with its coveted No. 3 pick. Or which player the team would select with it.

Ownership meddling is nothing new. Just ask the Dallas Cowboys. Unfortunately, it hasn’t worked since George Steinbrenner told Billy Martin to bat Reggie Jackson cleanup.

The smart money does not hold a monopoly on wisdom.

Robert Kraft has donated $8.5 million to Columbia University. Kraft wised up and pulled the plug. But not before his alma mater became Hamas State. Too bad he didn’t send that cash to Tuscaloosa and help the University of Alabama build a quarterback finishing school. Mac Jones could have terrorized the AFC East instead of Patriots fans.

The smart money told us the 49ers were going to win Super Bowl 58. The dumb money (also known as the “betting public”) backed Patrick Mahomes, Taylor Swift and the Chiefs.

Final Score: Chiefs 25 – 49ers 22 in OT.

Poor Brock Garoppolo never had a chance.

Mahomes was 12-1-1 as a betting underdog.

And Swift?

She gets whatever she wants.

The real tortured poets are those who believe you can win a Super Bowl without an elite QB.

Check the past 10 Super Bowl winning starting QBs: Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady,
Nick Foles, Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady, Matthew Stafford, Patrick Mahomes and
Patrick Mahomes.

Manning was a shell of himself. But he was still Manning.

None other than Robert Kraft said Foles won his Super Bowl because of Belichick’s game day roster mismanagement.

And Stafford threw for 4,886 yards, 41 TDs against 17 picks, and posted a 102.9 QBR during the season he won Super Bowl 56. Elite by any measure.

The smart money told us Kraft made the right move in opening the door for Brady’s exit. Instead, making Belichick his selection in football’s version of “Sophie’s Choice.”

Belichick and Kraft convinced themselves that they could continue “The Dynasty” – © Kraft Dynasty LLC  – with “Fill In The Blank” at quarterback.

The smart money believed them.

My goodness, what better way to punch a double-ticket to Canton than to resume “The Dynasty” – © Kraft Dynasty LLC  – without “Expletive” Johnny Foxboro?

“Vanity. Definitely my favorite sin.” – Al Pacino “The Devil’s Advocate”

The scourge of vanity led Kraft and Belichick down this football path to ruin the past four seasons.

The Krafts have paid Belichick & Sons more than $100 million since Brady departed.

That’s gotta smart.

Nine figures lighter in the wallet, the Krafts finally realized the Wizard of Nantucket was just another coach behind the curtain when he didn’t have Brady to bail him out.

But Robert Kraft has badly mis-read the room since blowing it all up.

His hit job on Belichick in “The Dynasty” – © Kraft Dynasty LLC  – soured and enraged fans.

Belichick’s counterattack began last week with a story from ESPN that claimed Robert Kraft lobbied Falcons owner Arthur Blank not to hire Belichick.

Team Belichick claims Kraft somehow discouraged Blank from hiring Belichick, even though Blank was willing to pick up the tab for Belichick’s contract this season.

The biggest reason why Bill Belichick doesn’t have a job in the NFL this season is … Bill Belichick. No organization is willing to give anyone the keys to a 72-year-old coach/GM. Not even/especially Belichick. And Belichick was not willing to take a job where he’d have to answer to anyone not in the owner’s box.

And answering to the owner eventually became a bridge too far at Patriot Place.

Team Kraft and Team Belichick blame each other for their football failings. Covertly and
otherwise. The Cold War continues.

Whether today results in Maye Day or mayday, there is no longer any safe space in which Robert or Jonathan Kraft can occupy if this draft goes bust. Or their team continues to stagnate.

The mirror beckons.

One hopes the Krafts will finally take full responsibility for this train-wreck of a team going forward.

The smart money says otherwise.

Bill Speros (@RealOBF and @BillSperos) can be reached at bsperos1@gmail.com