Ex-Patriot Scott Zolak Refutes Major New England Draft Rumor

Patriots decision-makers apparently are focusing on their areas of expertise in the lead-up to the 2024 NFL Draft.

A report issued Monday claimed the opposite. Jonathan Kraft was reported to be "heavily involved" in the decision-making for one of the most important drafts in franchise history. But according to former New England quarterback and current radio broadcaster Scott Zolak, the longtime team president doesn't intend to step on Eliot Wolf's and Jerod Mayo's toes.

"I was told Jonathan Kraft is not involved in football," Zolak said Tuesday on "Zolak & Bertrand," as transcribed by 98.5 The Sports Hub. "Football decisions are made by the football people. Eliot Wolf, Matt Groh, Jerod Mayo and the football staff. Where I thought they would get involved was that, 'Hey, this team is calling Mr. Kraft or Jonathan Kraft, and they want our pick at three.' They’re not going to get involved telling you which quarterback to take or who we're trading back to get.

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"It would make sense to me. If it’s my organization, my team, and there’s this other team offering all this stuff, I would like to be involved in that. And I thought, that's where this report came from (Dianna Russini, where Jonathan is involved here. Like, if there's a big trade in the bag, they've got to get it approved. That would be normal operating procedure to me. And I was told that is not the case. This is all Eliot. This is all Jerod. And this is all football people. Jonathan's not running the football part of it. Business? Yes. Football? No."

Back in early February, The Boston Globe's Ben Volin reported Jonathan Kraft "really wants" the Patriots to take a quarterback at No. 3. While the team president might not use his power to make sure this happens, his reported preference should be New England's approach for its highest draft pick in decades. And as more days pass in the lead-up to the draft, the more it seems like the Patriots won't trade down.

So while we shouldn't read too much into any pre-draft report, it feels like there will be synergy in New England's war room Thursday night.