Patriots' draft: Spotlight on Eliot Wolf

It has been a long three months of watching everyone’s mock drafts and anticipating this year’s NFL draft. It has also been a long time since the Patriots have drafted this high. Usually, we are reviewing twenty or thirty different scenarios for when the Patriots draft in the second half of the first round. The Patriots always had a margin for error if they missed on those first round picks. Not anymore.

Tom Brady covered a lot of Belichick’s general manager mistakes. A couple of examples of first round misses would have been Dominique Easley in 2014, Isaiah Wynn in 2018, and – the poster boy for Belichick’s failures at drafting – N’Keal Harry in 2019. 

The Patriots don’t have the luxury of having Tom Brady anymore. Just the opposite. Four years after the departure of Brady, the Patriots are still in search of Brady’s replacement. They now have an understanding of the frustration fans of the Jets, Buffalo (pre-Josh Allen), the Raiders, the Colts, Washington, Detroit, among others have had over the last two or three decades in finding that franchise quarterback. The Patriots have been fortunate to have had Brady and Drew Bledsoe since 1993.

On that note, let’s look at the first draft of the post-Belichick era:

Round 1, Pick 3 (overall 3) Drake Maye

De facto general manager (can we be done with the “de facto” descriptor?), Eliot Wolf, said there was little doubt what direction the Patriots were going with this pick. Wolf said that he knew for a few weeks that Washington was drafting Jayden Daniels with the number two pick. He said he listened to deals for the third pick, but didn’t take any of them seriously. Wolf also said he found other speculation in the media as to who the Patriots might pick as comical – most likely referring to the rumors that Wolf coveted JJ McCarthy and might even take him at three.

But Drake Maye was always going to be the Patriots’ pick. New head coach Jerod Mayo said from day one that the Patriots were going to pick the best player at the most important position. The Patriots traded Mac Jones. They signed veteran Jacoby Brissett – a humble player who knows and accepts his role as backup and mentor (unlike Bailey Zappe). 

All signs pointed to the Patriots drafting a quarterback and not trading down with someone, say Minnesota, to accumulate draft picks and build up the team around a future quarterback draft pick. The argument, strongly promoted by NBC Boston’s Tom E Curran, was that the Patriots shouldn’t draft someone like Maye until the supporting cast was set up for him to succeed. Otherwise, Curran, and others, argued that quarterback’s development would be stunted and their confidence irreparably destroyed, a la Mac Jones.

I always viewed that as a dumb argument. The Cowboys started out 0-11 Troy Aikman’s rookie year. Aikman turned out okay. Peyton Manning got destroyed in his rookie season, throwing 28 interceptions. He turned out okay. 

No one says Drake Maye needs to start from Day One. That is why Brissett is here. If Maye stayed in college, he would easily be the number one quarterback drafted next year, and probably the year after that. You can’t pass up on a talent like that. 

We saw the most extreme example of that in this year’s draft, when the Atlanta Falcons took Michael Penix Jr. with the 8th overall pick despite signing veteran Kirk Cousins for $180 million just seven weeks ago. Atlanta’s reasoning was that they couldn’t pass up on a quarterback talent like Penix and that they may never have a chance to draft a quarterback that good again.

The thing I like most about Maye is that he looks like he is built to withstand New England’s winters. He can be trusted to attempt more than two passes in Buffalo if the winds are swirling and the snow is falling.

Many have compared Maye to Josh Allen and Justin Herbert. I see him as Drew Bledsoe with much better mobility. I think Maye has all the arm talent in the world. He has leadership qualities, something Mac Jones was lacking. His problem will be his coolness in the pocket and the ability to quickly process what the defense throws at him. That is what set Tom Brady and Peyton Manning apart from everyone else in the universe. That is what kept Bledsoe from taking his teams to the next level.

One of the most praised plays in Maye’s highlight package is the one play that disturbs me the most. The play I am referring to is a play in which he is nearly being tackled while rolling left and somehow manages to switch hands with the ball and throw a short pass left-handed to a receiver in the end zone for a touchdown. Many viewed that play as a sign of Maye’s creativity. I have seen that play too many times made by desperate quarterbacks. We saw it this year by Mac Jones numerous times.

Maye is the most promising quarterback in this year’s draft and the one I liked the most. I also loved Bledsoe and I am ashamed to admit I was one of those who was upset when he didn’t get his job back from Brady in 2001 once he was fully healthy.

I have a fondness for that Dan Marino-type gunslinger mentality. I want to see someone who can throw the ball down the field. I like quick scoring offenses. I have never been a big fan of dink and dunk offenses. There is too much margin for error in trying to sustain twelve play touchdown drives. One penalty and the drive is killed. Maye gives the Patriots that quick strike capability the team has been lacking since Brady left, and even, at times, while Brady was here.

Summary: The decision was pretty much made for the Patriots by Chicago and Washington. But give Eliot Wolf credit for not overthinking things. This is his first draft decision, and it could have been tempting to try to show everyone how clever he is. But he made the obvious choice. Maye will be a top-ten quarterback within four years.

Grade: A

Round 2, Pick 5 (37th overall) Ja’Lynn Polk

I was very happy when the Patriots traded down and added a pick later in the draft. Xavier Legette was the one I was hoping for at 34, but he was taken a few picks earlier. It sounds like the Patriots felt the same way as Mike Reiss reported New England was trying to trade up with Buffalo. Buffalo, instead, chose to trade with their rival Kansas City Chiefs allowing them to draft, possibly, their next Tyreke Hill. The cash strapped Bills then chose to trade out of the first round completely, trading their 32nd pick out of conference to Carolina. Carolina drafted Legette. After Buffalo drafted Keon Coleman, the Patriots elected to trade down. Logic dictates the Patriots were trying to trade up for Legette or, I think less likely, Coleman.

None of the remaining top receivers – Ladd McConkey (injury concerns), Adonai Mitchell (work ethic concerns), Roman Wilson (all set with slot receivers), Troy Franklin (Tyquan Thornton vibes) – had the Patriots sprinting to the podium to draft them. Ditto for the offensive tackles, although I had an eye on Patrick Paul. So I would have even tried trading down again from 37. The Patriots had a seventy pick gap later in the draft (from pick 110 to 180) which I would have addressed.

But the Patriots did use their pick at 37 on wide receiver, Ja’Lynn Polk. I’ll be honest that I wasn’t very familiar with the player, hence I wasn’t very happy with the pick. Right position, wrong guy. 

After I watched some videos of Polk, there was, obviously, a lot to like. An overriding feeling I had for this entire draft was that I trusted the wunderkind, Eliot Wolf. Wolf has football in his genes so I trust him to make the right call. But like Ronald Reagan once said about Gorbachev and the Soviet Union, “Trust, but verify.”

The first thing that jumps out about Polk are his hands. He catches everything, and I mean everything. Fifty-fifty balls are more like eighty-twenty balls with Polk. He is amazing at catching contested balls and he has no fear over the middle.

The things that concerned me are his speed and route running. That is the reason most of his catches were contested. He benefited enormously from playing opposite Rome Odunze. It helped divert attention away from Polk and created opportunities for him he wouldn’t have if he was WR1, which he should be expected to be with the Patriots drafting him this high.

Summary: I would have rather Eliot traded down again, but Polk appears to be another DeVonte Parker… in his prime. And that’s not a bad thing.

Grade: B+

Round 3, pick 4 (68) Caedan Wallace

Like I said, I am all-in on Eliot Wolf. He took the three positions everyone knew were the Patriots’ area of needs and he used his first three picks to address them. Again, he didn’t get cute. He didn’t ignore the offensive needs and use the first three draft picks on defense like someone did last year.

Wolf’s honeymoon period is not all champagne and caviar, though. He addressed the right positions, but did he choose the right players? Polk already had me wondering.

The Patriots missed out on offensive tackles Paul, Blake Fisher, Roger Rosengarten, and Kingsley Suamataia. Caedan Wallace played right tackle in college, but might be expected to compete for the left tackle starting job. Another possibility might be leaving Wallace at his comfortable right tackle position and moving Mike Onwenu – who just signed a big contract usually given to left tackles – to left tackle.

The thing that impressed me about Wallace was his introductory interview with the Patriots media. He said he was open to playing left tackle. When asked why he played in the Shrine Bowl when a lot of other top prospects chose to not to chance it, Wallace replied, "I just love ball, so you tell me a field to play on and tell me there is good coaches and I am going to go out there and ball." He sounds like the type that would play a pickup football game in your backyard if you asked him.

Summary: He seems like a teddy bear of a guy. I just hope he has a bit of a mean streak to him.

Grade: B-

Round 4, pick 3 (103) Layden Robinson

This is where things got a little wonky, in my opinion. I thought the Patriots would double dip here at wide receiver. I also figured with one of the next two picks, it might be a time to look at defense, particularly safety. I never thought they would draft a guard. I was overcome with a case of PTSD. 

Haven’t the Patriots invested enough draft picks in recent years on interior linemen? Hopefully, after drafting Robinson this year, they never draft another interior offensive lineman for the next three years, at least. This draft pick, to me, speaks volumes about what this new regime thinks of Belichick’s 2022 first round draft pick, Cole Strange. I think Sidey Sowe settled in nicely to the right guard position towards the end of last season after failing, miserably, trying to convert to right tackle. So the writing may be on the wall for Strange.

Robinson excels at run blocking. In the highlights I saw, he moves very well for a big man and has the ability to twist and turn defenders as designated by the play call. His pass protection needs work, though. 

At this point I had a bit of a revelation – Jerod Mayo and Alex Van Pelt’s offensive philosophy was going to be ground and pound. This was totally going against my preferred gunslinger offensive mentality.

They had drafted two offensive linemen who are stronger run blockers than they are pass blockers. They drafted a possession receiver instead of going with a burner like Tony Franklin. If the next pick was going to be a running back, as I was now expecting, I felt I was on to something.

Summary: This was the only real head-scratcher of a move Eliot made in the draft. It was a little too Belichickian for my liking. I didn’t view it as much of an area of need.

Grade: C

Round 4, pick 10 (110) Javon Baker

OK, I was wrong on all counts. Besides Drake Maye, Baker may be the standout of this draft. He’ll tell you, too.

Baker went off on Instagram with an angry video after getting drafted by New England. He hollered into his camera phone that it was about time he got drafted and that other teams were going to pay.

While many people loved the fact that he has an obvious chip on his shoulder, I was put off. His attitude really contrasted with the interviews I had heard from the previous four draft picks. In his introduction to the New England media, Baker’s attention wandered and he said his message to fans was “to bring their popcorn. I make people in wheelchairs stand up.” 

But, hey, aren’t most great wide receivers divas? Baker feels he has a lot to prove to the other 31 teams, and maybe even the Patriots. I did like in his interview that he said his job is to receive. He is a wide receiver. That is what he does. Throw the ball anywhere, and he says he is going to catch it.

Summary: Baker could slide into the WR1 role and take some pressure off Polk. Either way, both these receivers should be starting alongside Demario Douglas on day one. It will be nice to see this group grow and develop together with Maye for the next three or four years.

Grade: A-

Round 6, Pick 4 (180) Marcellas Dial

The Patriots had to watch 69 players get drafted before their next pick came around. That’s why I would have liked to have seen the Patriots trade down again at 37 to get a pick somewhere earlier in this range. With their 180th pick, New England got their first defensive player – defensive back Marcellas Dial. 

Dial looks like a very physical, handsy cornerback – maybe a little too handsy. His pass coverage almost looks too good in the videos I watched. I think at the NFL level, I am concerned he will draw a lot of flags. I do like his tenaciousness at the catch point and his ability to pry the ball out of receivers’ hands.

With New England in need of a true free safety, there has been speculation Dial may be given a chance there. That’s not his game, though. He looks like he plays better with his back turned towards the quarterback.

Summary: Maybe they hope to groom Dial to replace 30-year-old Jonathan Jones as a slot corner. Not all draft picks make the team. I think Dial might be that one.

Grade: C-

Round 6, pick 17 (193) Joe Milton III

If you weren’t excited enough to go to Foxboro in July to watch Patriots’ training camp, camp just became a must-see. That six-foot-five guy you will see throwing laser beams and rockets on the football field will be Joe Milton III. Milton was a sort of a running joke among New England media in the weeks leading up to the draft. There’s always Joe Milton if the Patriots trade down with Minnesota. Milton is an amazing physical specimen. And he owns the best arm in this draft, the world, and the universe. 

Why wasn’t he drafted earlier then? And why did the Patriots need to draft another quarterback since they now had Drake Maye? While Milton has a great arm and is a tremendous athlete, he is very, very raw as a quarterback. Speculation was he might go as early as the fourth round, but no one believed he is a capable NFL starter anytime in the near future. 

Except me.

Hear me out. Many believe Maye will be best served sitting out a year. I don’t subscribe to this, but many do. I may be in favor of Maye sitting maybe the first four to six games, but then it is time to get some return on your investment.

When the Patriots signed Brissett, the thought was that Brissett will keep the seat warm for Maye until he is ready. Why not go with Milton instead and have Brissett back him up for the first few games? It will be a lot more exciting for us fans. Would you rather see generic Brissett for eight weeks, or the dynamic Milton? If Milton plays well, the Patriots may be able to get a high draft pick in return from some quarterback-starved franchise.

More importantly, Brissett is only signed for one year. I’m sure it wouldn’t take much to bring him back, but if he doesn’t, the Patriots could have Milton as Maye’s primary backup for the foreseeable future. Imagine going from Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe to Drake Maye and Joe Milton in two years?

Summary: If the Falcons have taught us anything, it is that you shouldn’t pass up a talented quarterback.

Grade: B+

7th round, pick 11 (231) Jaheim Bell

The one area of need that hadn’t been addressed in this year’s draft was met in a big way with the Patriots’ final draft pick. Florida State’s Jaheim Bell has seen his stock drop dramatically since his freshman year. I watched YouTube videos from just months ago touting Bell as one of the top tight ends in college football.

Bell is not a prototypical tight end. It is almost not right to classify him as such, which is part of the reason he wasn’t taken earlier. He is a classic tweener. He is too small to be an NFL tight end and too big to be a wide receiver. 

But who cares? The Patriots had one of those types of players on their team last year. Mike Gesicki is listed as a tight end, but Belichick was quick to refer to him as one of his wide receivers midseason when asked, by media, about his lack of active wide receivers for a particular game.

Despite Gesicki sucking for the Patriots last season, he did have some good years with Miami. Bell is more talented than Gesicki. Bell even rushed 73 times (3 for touchdowns) in 2022 when he played for South Carolina. I heard one video where it was speculated Bell could be used as a fullback.

Every team needs a Swiss army knife like Bell. You can line him up anywhere. Put him in the backfield. Put him in the slot. Set him in motion. Use him for bubble screens. Run him on end arounds. Don’t call him Deebo Samuel, but he should be a fun weapon for Alex Van Pelt.

A theme I see with all these Patriots’ receivers drafted is that they all don’t possess top of the line speed, but they are extremely sure-handed. 

Summary: For the second year in a row, the Patriots may have hit it big late in the final two rounds of the draft.

Grade: A+