NFL Draft Expert Thinks Patriots’ Strategy Will Change Under Eliot Wolf

The Patriots were the epitome of unpredictability during Bill Belichick’s tenure leading their draft efforts, making off-the-wall selections throughout their dynastic run that stretched more than two decades.

“I would say the Patriots were maybe one of the more niche drafting teams in the league, where they would catch you off guard a little bit because they were so obsessed with fit that they might take a guy two or three rounds before anybody else in the league would take them,” NFL draft guru Daniel Jeremiah told reporters Thursday, per transcript provided by NFL Media.

That’s something that is expected to change in New England now that Belichick is gone.

Patriots scouting director Eliot Wolf is running the show now, and those with a keen eye on the 2024 NFL Draft believe he’ll do things differently than his predecessor.

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“They wouldn’t really care because they’re just winning trophies every year, Jeremiah continued. “They could be a little bit outside the lines, a little outside the norm with some of the stuff. 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.”

Wolf, who grew up watching his father, Ron, lead the Green Bay Packers to multiple Super Bowl titles, has plenty of experience making decisions — though he’s never been the top dog in a draft room. The 41-year-old spent time as an executive with the Packers and Cleveland Browns, and has nearly 20 years of experience already.

The Patriots currently possess the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and they could do just about anything at that spot. It does feel a tad more likely that they’ll target a position of need and maximize the value of that pick now than they might have before, however.