Most have assumed the New England Patriots will be targeting a quarterback with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. But given the team’s great draft positioning and lucrative salary cap situation, they could also choose to go in a different direction.
The Athletic’s Jeff Howe pointed to the possibility of the team selecting an offensive tackle with the No. 3 pick, especially if director of scouting Eliot Wolf is given the reins for personnel decisions.
Howe wrote:
In-house candidates Eliot Wolf and Matt Groh have also been under consideration. If it’s Wolf running the show, expect the Patriots to give a long, hard look at drafting a left tackle with the No. 3 pick.
Wolf could potentially be the leading in-house candidate to take over as general manager.
The Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi noted in a previous report that Wolf is an alluring candidate for the Patriots due to the fact that he isn’t a Bill Belichick guy. Unlike Matt Groh, who worked his way up under the former Patriots head coach, Wolf cut his teeth in the NFL with the Green Bay Packers.
Offensive tackle is one of the biggest areas of need on the roster for the Patriots, and they would be in a position to select either Notre Dame’s Joe Alt or Penn State’s Olu Fashanu. Neither would be an exciting pick on paper, but both could prove to be what the Patriots need most right now.
