Draft Analyst Thinks Patriots Will Target ‘Traits’ In 2024 NFL Draft

The Patriots' decision to part ways with Bill Belichick was their way of shaking things up, and one of the biggest changes expected in New England will be found in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Belichick, in building the Patriots' roster for more than two decades, left plenty of data to be studied regarding his tendencies. He likes receivers and running backs with short-area agility. He favored tall quarterbacks, and wanted defenders that provided versatility. He also would draft prospects some haven't heard about, like Kyle Dugger in 2020. It should be harder to get a read on Eliot Wolf, who is now running the show with Belichick gone.

That might not necessarily be the case, however.

Wolf has never led a front office, but he's been around them for the majority of his life. The 41-year-old's father, Ron, spent nearly four decades around front offices, while Eliot himself has spent two as a scout and executive. The tendencies have become pretty clear.

"The Patriots could be a little bit outside the lines, a little outside the norm with some of the stuff," Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Media told reporters Thursday. "I don't think Eliot will do that. I think you look at the Green Bay history and some of the track record there. You look at offensive linemen that are versatile. You look at wide receivers who have kick return backgrounds that are really, really good after the catch.

"Those are some of the traits that just jump out to me from the Packers and the way they've done things forever and how he would have been trained up just from his dad."

New England's quite familiar with players that fall into those categories. Michael Onwenu and Isaiah Wynn were drafted as interior lineman and spent considerable time at tackle during their stints with the Patriots. Julian Edelman, N'Keal Harry and just about every other wide receiver they've drafted since 2000? They were solid punt returners in college.

It remains to be seen if Jeremiah's forecast will come true, but he's certainly got the data to back it up.