The New England Patriots hold the third overall pick in next week’s NFL Draft, giving them a top-rated quarterback available for selection. However, scouting director and de-facto general manager Eliot Wolf has not committed to taking a quarterback with the team’s first pick. During a pre-draft press conference, Wolf emphasized that they are open to anything, including moving up, moving down, and being open for business in every round. He expressed that having more picks is better but won’t be afraid to pull the trigger if an opportunity presents itself to move up based on the draft board’s recommendations.
Despite his earlier comments at the NFL Combine in February suggesting that they might not need to take a quarterback in the first round, Wolf now feels confident that the current roster can support a rookie signal caller if they choose to leave the draft with one. The team has a solid offensive line, key players returning, and a strong system in place to develop a rookie quarterback.
Wolf shared that discussions are ongoing with other teams but nothing substantial has led him to want to strike a deal so far. The Patriots are looking for their next “quarterback of the future” after trading Mac Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The team currently has Jacoby Brissett, Bailey Zappe, and Nathan Rourke under contract, leaving open the question of who their pick might be in the upcoming draft. Patriots fans will have to wait one more week to find out who their team selects.