Biggest Draft Steals of the Eliot Wolf Era — Where The Patriots Went Right

Since becoming the New England Patriots' executive vice president of player personnel in 2024, Eliot Wolf hasn't had a long plethora of draft classes to show off. As he enters his third season as the primary face in New England's front office, he'll look to add to an already deep roster.

His first year wasn't the best draft in Patriots history, as just three players remain from that crop opf rookies. In 2025, with Mike Vrabel as the head coach and new faces in the front office, the Patriots got better returns on investment from their rookie class.

As we near the start of the 2026 NFL Draft, and Wolf's third in his role, here's a look at some of his best draft steals -- and how they've been able to help the Patriots return to the top of the AFC East.

2024: QB Drake Maye (3rd Overall)

Sep 7, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) rushes the ball against the Las Vegas Raiders in the first half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

The 2024 draft class wasn't good by any stretch of the imagination. Only Maye, offensive guard Caedan Wallace and cornerback Marcellas Dial remain heading into the 2026 season. But Maye is an outlier beyond outliers, falling into the Patriots' lap with the third overall pick. Sure, some could argue that he went right where he should have after Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels went with the top two picks. For New England, they got what fans would call the best of the three.

Maye has played his way into the MVP conversation and was named a Second Team All-Pro in his second season. The Patriots returned to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2018 with Maye under center, and his arm strength and mobility should give his team hope for the next decade or so. Think about how the Patriots draft class in 2000 is remembered -- Tom Brady and no one else. Maybe this is just the second coming of that turn-of-the-century crop of rookies, with an outstanding quarterback leading the way.

2025: C Jared Wilson (95th Overall)

Nov 2, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots center Jared Wilson (58) in coverage during the first half against the Atlanta Falcons at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Drafted out of Georgia as a center, but slotted into the starting lineup as a left guard, Wilson was an immediate contributor for the Patriots as a rookie. The 2025 class was far and away better than the one that came before it, and Will Campbell and TreVeyon Henderson shined after being selected in the first and second rounds. But those picks didn't feel like steals. Wilson did.

Not because of where he was taken, but how New England got to that point. Wolf worked the boards twice on the second day of the draft to move down. First, the Patriots swung a deal with the Carolina Panthers to acquire the 85th and 146th overall picks for the 77th overall pick. New England soon flipped the 85th pick to the Kansas City Chiefs to move down 10 slots and pocket a future fourth. The 95th pick was used on Wilson, who shined as a rookie and will now be the team's starting center going forward.

2025: S Craig Woodson (106th Overall)

Dec 21, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; New England Patriots safety Craig Woodson (31) celebrates a Patriots recovering a fumble by Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (not pictured) during the first half of the game at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images | James Lang-Imagn Images

Another everyday player to come in the middle rounds of 2025. Woodson, a relatively unkown safety from Cal, was taken in the fourth round last season. Ho hum, a depth defensive back who can chip on special teams. Most fans brushed it off as a pick that could help fill a role years down the line. Instead, Woodson came in and beat out incumbent starters Kyle Dugger and Jabrill Peppers -- both of who didn't remain with the team by the trade deadline.

Woodson became a star on the back-end of New England's defense, and paired with Jaylinn Hawkins, formed one of the league's best duos. Whether it was in pass coverage, run support or flying around the football and getting his hands on the ball, Woodson could do it all. He'll now be a core part of this defense for a very long time.

2025: K Andy Borregales (182nd Overall)

Nov 13, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots kicker Andy Borregales (36) makes the extra point against the New York Jets in the second quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

Borregales was the first kicker taken off the board last year, and for good reason. The strong leg from the Miami prospect warranted being taken in the sixth round to replace Joey Slye from a season prior. He got off to a shaky start (he missed several kicks against the Las Vegas Raiders and Miami Dolphins in the first two weeks of the season). After that, it was smooth sailing for Borregales.

It's hard to determine whether a player is truly a steal or not after just one season, but the kicker feels like he's set to be here for a few years. After a roller coaster at the positon that included Nick Folk in 2022, Chad Ryland in 2023, and Slye in 2024, Borregales felt like he'd be able to put a pin in what's been a kicking carousel in New England.

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