Patriots Rumors: Eliot Wolf ‘Pushing Hard’ For This QB Prospect

Eliot Wolf, who will make the final decision for the New England Patriots on draft night, reportedly has a favorite quarterback.

NFL draft analyst Tony Pauline wrote in a two-round mock draft published Monday that Wolf has been "pushing hard" for J.J. McCarthy. Pauline said it was all "the buzz" during recent Pro Days.

It's why Pauline mocked McCarthy to the Patriots at third overall.

"I'm not big on McCarthy being a top-10 selection, but the UM signal caller to New England was the buzz on the pro-day circuit," Pauline wrote. "De facto general manager Eliot Wolf is pushing hard for McCarthy, and he believes he has as much upside as any quarterback in this draft."

The consensus top three quarterbacks in the NFL draft long were considered to be Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels. However, the Michigan quarterback burst onto the scene with his recent performances at the NFL Scouting Combine and the Wolverines Pro Day.

Of course, the Patriots are not in the driver's seat for any quarterback, including McCarthy. While the Chicago Bears are all but locked in on Williams, the Washington Commanders hold the second overall pick, ahead of the Patriots. They could tab Maye, Daniels or McCarthy as their quarterback of the future.

As it relates to McCarthy, though, NFL Media's Tom Pelissero reported last week executives around the league view McCarthy as the "most popular" pick for Washington. It caused McCarthy's odds as the No. 2 pick to be slashed.