Patriots executive Eliot Wolf sees surprises coming in first round of NFL Draft

STANFORD, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 07: Executive vice president of player development Eliot Wolf of the New England Patriots looks on before taking a team photo prior to Super Bowl LX at Stanford Stadium on February 07, 2026 in Stanford, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images Outside of the first overall pick, which the Las Vegas Raiders will use on quarterback Fernando Mendoza, there is plenty of uncertainty entering the first round of this year’s NFL Draft.

From the second selection on, anything seems possible. The New England Patriots, who as Super Bowl runner-ups will be the second-to-last team on the clock on Thursday night, might be as unpredictable as any team in football . Their de facto general manager, executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf, knows this as well: appearing on Patriots All Access ahead of the draft, he hinted at some surprises potentially being in store in Round 1.

“Maybe the second half of this year’s first round is going to be a little bit more surprises, I would say, than some of the previous years,” Wolf explained. For him, the reason for that is a combination of several teams holding more than one first-round pick and the board itself. “I don’t know what the other teams are thinking.

You just hear different stuff,” Wolf said. “I just think this draft is maybe pretty heavy up at the top and then from call it 25 to 50 it’s sort of the same level of player. ” This relative lack of diversity might lead to some movement come draft day.