When the New England Patriots were on the clock with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, general manager Eliot Wolf’s phone was ringing off the hook.
According to NFL Insider Ian Rapoport, the New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings, and others contacted the Patriots with trade offers to move up. Just how close did New England’s front office come to passing on the opportunity to select North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye?
Not even close, Wolf told Rapoport during Super Bowl LX Media Day on Monday night.
“No. We weren’t close to trading,” Wolf said. “We felt like we knew what Drake could be and, obviously, here we are. So maybe the timeline’s a little bit faster than some people thought, but from Day 1 he’s put his head down and worked, and he’s a tremendous competitor and teammate. And obviously the improvement has shown this year on the field.”
The Patriots wouldn’t be representing the AFC in Santa Clara this week if not for the MVP-level play of their 23-year-old quarterback, who might already be the franchise’s most important draft pick (since you know who).
New England’s conviction with Drake Maye says everything ahead of Super Bowl LX
How much public credit is New England getting for “finding” Maye in the 2024 draft? Next to none.
After Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels flew off the board with the first two selections, the QB-needy Patriots made the obvious choice, drafting the best player available on just about every analyst’s big board.
It’s worth noting, though, that the Patriots were coming off a miserable, four-win season and had just cut ties with Bill Belichick. They had signed Jacoby Brissett as a bridge option, but quarterback was far from their only roster need. First-year head coach Jerod Mayo’s offense opened that season with Chuks Okorafor at left tackle, and a starting WR group of DeMario Douglas, Tyquan Thornton, and K.J. Osborn.
You’d have to be a fly on the wall to know what really went down in the Patriots’ 2024 war room on Day 1 of the draft. But the Vikings reportedly offered their two first-round picks, Nos. 11 and 23 overall, and their 2025 first-rounder to move up to the Patriots’ spot at No. 3. If Minnesota wasn’t willing to negotiate further, the Patriots were obviously right to hang up the phone.
But if that offer was more of a starting point? For a Patriots team in transition mode with a new head coach who was learning on the fly? Wolf and company deserve more credit for passing on a treasure trove of draft capital and sticking to their plan.
This is the part that's fascinating.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) February 1, 2026
The Vikings offered the 11th and 23rd picks in 2024, and their 2025 first-round pick to the Patriots for the third pick. They LOVED Drake Maye. New England wouldn't budge. But if a team sitting at 3 would have, this probably looks different. https://t.co/omuQdZ62Cm
The Patriots easily could have looked at their draft board, saw the high potential of landing either Michael Penix Jr. or Bo Nix at the No. 11 spot, and given that Vikings' offer some serious consideration. If you believe Wolf, that discussion never even took place — and it’s a feather in the cap to the entire organization.
It’s rare, but one draft pick can change a franchise’s fortune overnight. It happened in Year 2 for Maye and the Patriots.
As the NFL now knows: New England and its young superstar QB are going to be a probelm for years to come.