The New England Patriots just completed the best season that they’ve had in years. Despite undergoing a full rebuild with a new head coach in Mike Vrabel and second-year quarterback Drake Maye being a first-year starter, the Patriots went all the way to the Super Bowl last season, opening the door for more success in the near future.
There’s much credit to go around between Vrabel and his staff, Maye performing at an MVP level, and a strong veteran-led defense. However, someone who doesn’t get nearly enough credit is Patriots executive vice president of player personnel and de facto general manager Eliot Wolf.
The perception of the Patriots is that they were an all-around bad team, from players to coaches, before Vrabel was hired as the head coach last year. But that’s not entirely true.
It actually started on April 25, 2024, the first night of the 2024 NFL draft, when New England drafted Maye third overall. The charge was led by Wolf, as he believed that the team had enough talent to support an elite quarterback, despite those who thought other areas needed to be addressed first.
Fast forward to the end of February, when Wolf should be showered with the praise he rightfully deserves.
Eliot Wolf's Role in Drake Maye's Drafting, Patriots' 2025 Success Can't Be Ignored
While in Indianapolis for the NFL scouting combine, Wolf had a sit-down interview with draft analyst Todd McShay on Tuesday. During the segment, New England's executive said it never made sense to him that the team wasn’t ready for an elite quarterback, and he wasn’t going to wait and see who was next when Maye was already available to them.
"I think understanding when and where the quarterbacks are. If you guys remember, that was a huge storyline in New England when we had the third pick in the draft, and it was ‘this team can’t support a franchise quarterback, a young rookie quarterback, take the tackle or the wide receiver and pick the quarterback next year.’ and I didn’t understand that. We have some real, generational guys here with an opportunity to get Drake Maye vs. waiting a year and who would’ve it been?"Eliot Wolf, EVP of Player Personnel
In 2024, the Patriots still had nearly the same offensive skill position players they did this past season. That year, the top-four receiving options were from Hunter Henry, DeMario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte, and Austin Hooper. Not to mention that Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson were in the backfield, just like this season.
This must be the “generational talent” that Wolf was referring to. He certainly wasn't talking about the offensive line, which still needs to be upgraded today.
Wolf saw the bigger picture at hand. He noticed that a young quarterback could lead the franchise if surrounded by veteran talent. It also falls in line with the way Vrabel constructed the team, as he was once part of a veteran defense that led the team to three Super Bowls with a young quarterback in Tom Brady under center. They’re both on the same page when it comes to building the roster by getting the right players on the team.
Now that Maye has solidified himself as a legitimate MVP-caliber QB in his third year, the Patriots can focus on enhancing the rest of the team around him. They hit on a lot of essential positions in the 2025 Draft with two starting offensive linemen in Will Campbell and Jared Wilson, arguably one of the best running backs available in TreVeyon Henderson, an electric wide receiver in Kyle Williams, and a starting safety in Craig Woodson.
There’s still work to be done, but the Patriots are in a great place, having drafted Maye in 2024 and a phenomenal rookie class in 2025. Between Wolf and Vrabel, the upcoming 2026 NFL draft should be another successful one for the Patriots.