As the NFL draft looms large, all eyes are on Eliot Wolf, the New England Patriots director of scouting and de facto general manager, as he prepares to lead the team through the draft process for the first time.
With the Patriots holding the coveted No. 3 overall pick, their highest selection in over three decades, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Speculation abounds regarding their intentions, particularly in light of their prime position to potentially secure a franchise quarterback. However, Wolf has been vocal about entertaining the possibility of trading down.
Yesterday’s pre-draft check-in with Eliot Wolf.
Amidst swirling reports and rampant speculation, Patriot fans eagerly await the unfolding drama as the Patriots, under Wolf’s guidance, chart their course in one of the most pivotal drafts in recent memory.
But Eliot Wolf has been down this road before—not necessarily as the lead man, but as one of the most essential scouting voices in a team’s draft day war room many times. He grew up watching his father, Ron Wolf, rebuild the Green Bay Packers back to a Super Bowl Champion in the 1990s. And Wolf has been prepping for this day ever since.
Born Into Football
The Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan recently released an in-depth look at Eliot Wolf’s football life and how he went from watching his father operate as the general manager for the Green Bay Packers in the 1990s to leading the Patriots into perhaps their most important draft in the organization’s history.
Ron Wolf & Eliot Wolf in the @ProFootballHOF parade in downtown Canton. #WolfHOF15 http://t.co/EEFp0zAIfv
Throughout the article, there are excellent examples of Wolf’s incredible ability to study and retain information regarding a large number of football prospects and players in the league. One story describes when Eliot Wolf and former Bucs general manager Jason Licht drove to Wolf’s interview with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2004. Licht quizzed the young scout on the draft class to see how prepared Wolf was. Wolf went on to recite scouting reports from memory on every prospect. He even included the prospects’ “height, weight, speed and athletic testing score, their college and jersey number.”
During his interview, the Eagles showed Wolf their “emergency board” – a wall covered in magnets representing free agents for potential player replacements. With a quick scan, Wolf identified recent signings and unavailable options. “He signed last week,” Wolf said to the Eagles executive. The Eagles still had the player listed as available. The Eagles’ front office found themselves a step behind the young visitor, highlighting Wolf’s astute observations and impressive memory.
Wolf would hold various roles in front offices and scouting departments across the NFL. In 2004, Wolf decided not to accept the Eagles’ offer and worked as a pro-personel assistant in Green Bay. Then, in 2008, Wolf was named the assistant director of pro-personnel. In 2011, he was moved up to assistant director of player personnel in Green Bay.
From 2012 to 2015, he served as the director of pro-personnel before serving as the director of player personnel in Green Bay in 2016. Wolf would be named the director of football operations in Green Bay in 2017 before finally leaving Green Bay to serve as the assistant general manager in Cleveland in 2018-2019. In 2020, former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick would lure him to New England to serve as a personnel and scouting consultant.
Wolf’s Track Record as an NFL Scout and Executive
The majority of talk surrounding the Patriots and how they will improve in this draft is on the offensive side of the ball. The Patriots need to come away from the 2024 NFL draft with the quarterback of the future. However, they must also add talent and depth to the receiver room and strengthen the offensive line. Ironically enough, of the seven drafts Wolf has participated in, his team has only selected an offensive player once in the first round. That was Baker Mayfield as the No. 1 overall pick in 2018.
A new QB in Cleveland!
Browns select QB Baker Mayfield with the No. 1 pick
In 2013, Eliot Wolf and the Packers landed running back Eddie Lacy at No. 61 in the second round. Lacy’s stellar performance earned him the prestigious title of Offensive Rookie of the Year in the same season. They also selected David Bakhtiari, a two-time All-Pro and main cog in the Packer offensive line for years. The Packers also selected safety Micah Hyde in the fifth round, rounding out an excellent draft class.
In 2014, Wolf and the Packers struck gold by selecting wide receiver Davante Adams at No. 53 overall. Since then, Adams has established himself as one of the premier talents in the league, earning six Pro Bowl selections and three first-team All-Pro honors.
*2014 NFL Draft*
Round 2 Pick 51
Bears select Ego Ferguson
(current free agent)
Round 2 Pick 53
Packers select Davante Adams
👇🏽
In 2016, Wolf’s first year as Packers director of football operations, the Packers selected defensive tackle Kenny Clark in the first round at No. 27 overall. This move has paid dividends, as he has emerged as one of the NFL’s premier interior pass rushers. In 2020, he solidified his status by signing a lucrative four-year, $70 million contract.
In 2017, they nabbed Jamaal Williams in the fourth round, who proved a reliable contributor during his tenure in Green Bay. Additionally, in the fifth round, they found Aaron Jones, whose dynamic playmaking abilities helped him amass over 8,000 scrimmage yards across seven seasons with the team.
2018 was Wolf’s first with the Browns as assistant GM. The Browns selected quarterback Baker Mayfield first overall. The Cleveland Browns added to their arsenal by drafting Ohio State cornerback Denzel Ward, who has since blossomed into a star player for the team, earning three Pro Bowl nods. Meanwhile, at No. 35, the Browns secured running back Nick Chubb, a dynamic force on the field and a four-time Pro Bowler. Widely regarded as one of the league’s premier rushers, Chubb has already amassed over 6,500 rushing yards.
Wolf has played a significant role in identifying talent throughout all rounds of the NFL draft, securing players who provide massive contributions to their organization. Wolf has discussed the Patriot’s need to “draft and develop” players to build this into a championship roster. Hopefully, that process will begin with the 2024 draft for the New England Patriots.
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A Look at Eliot Wolf’s Path & NFL Draft Track Record as a Scouting Executive