Why NFL GM Believes Patriots Could Make ‘Huge Reach’ In Draft

A critically important draft is on the horizon for the Patriots, who have given final say on picks to an executive who's never held an official general manager title in the NFL.

It doesn't sound like Eliot Wolf will be intimated by the stakes and the stage, though.

Wolf, New England's director of scouting who appears to be serving as the team's de facto GM, will be tasked with sending in the Patriots' selection at No. 3 -- if the organization stays there. After speaking with six executives during and after the NFL Scouting Combine, The Athletic's Mike Sando projected New England to take Drake Maye with its highest draft pick in decades.

But since Wolf is calling the shots, one GM isn't ruling out a wild-card choice for the Patriots.

"One GM whose team already has a franchise quarterback thought (J.J.) McCarthy would be 'a huge reach' in this spot, but he conceded New England could make a bold selection with Eliot Wolf running the draft room," Sando wrote.

'I think they go quarterback,' this GM said. 'Do they take a shot at J.J.? Eliot won't be afraid to if he believes in the player. Just look at what his dad has done.'"

Wolf's father, Ron, made one of the gutsiest -- and ultimately rewarding -- trades in Packers history as the Green Bay GM in 1992. The Packers traded a first-round pick to the Atlanta Falcons for Brett Favre, who only made four pass attempts as a rookie the year prior. Favre, of course, went on to have a wildly successful 16-year run in Green Bay.

The Patriots have a variety of routes at their disposal with the No. 3 pick, including trading down to gain more capital. But it will be up to Eliot Wolf to decide if he wants to play it safe or roll the dice.