Draft night in the NFL usually brings a healthy dose of chaos, but New England Patriots Executive Vice President of Player Personnel Eliot Wolf thinks we haven’t seen anything yet.
As the 2026 NFL Draft kicks off tonight, Wolf is forecasting a particularly “wild” evening, especially once the first half of the opening round is in the books. The New England Patriots are coming off a dominant 14-3 season where they finished first in the AFC East and made a deep playoff run.
While most of the league is focused on the blue-chip talent at the very top, Wolf sees a massive “flatline” in talent once the clock hits the mid-20s. “Maybe the 2nd half of this year’s 1st round is going to be a little bit more surprises than some previous years,” Wolf told Patriots All-Access. “It’s pretty heavy up at the top, then maybe from, call it 25 to 50, is sort of the same level of player.”
For a team holding the No. 31 overall pick, that assessment is a massive flashing light for potential trades. If the Patriots feel the player at 31 is identical to the one available at 45, expect Wolf to be working the phones. New England is looking to provide more support for quarterback Drake Maye, who put up an MVP-caliber 2025 campaign with 4,394 passing yards and 31 touchdowns.
The roster has seen some turnover, moving on from veterans like wide receiver Stefon Diggs and linebacker Jahlani Tavai. With head coach Mike Vrabel reportedly stepping away from the draft room to seek counseling, the pressure is squarely on Wolf to navigate the board. He has already noted that the offensive and defensive lines are the strengths of this class.
Whether they stay put or move around, the Patriots are in a prime position to capitalize on the “surprises” Wolf is predicting. If the board breaks as expected, the back end of the first round will be absolute theater.
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