Patriots 7-round Mock Draft: Interests of rumored GM dictate picks

The Patriots have undergone many changes this offseason, starting with Bill Belichick's exit and Jerod Mayo being named the next head coach. Because of that, an entirely new staff has been hired, and more are announced daily.

One role that remains unfilled is the general manager, a position Belichick held for around two decades. Rumors suggested Robert Kraft and the higher-ups were in no rush to find a replacement, but given the recent hirings this week, all signs point to them having already found the guy for the job.

Although it hasn't been announced yet, it looks like Eliot Wolf will oversee the roster building this offseason and potentially for the future. Seemingly following in his father's footsteps, he has pursued a career as an NFL executive since 2004, when he worked as a Pro personnel assistant with the Packers.

Wolf has been with the Patriots since 2020 and has been unofficially working with Mayo to fill out the staff for the 2024 season.

This news has prompted a flood of rumors suggesting how he may go about the draft, mainly with the third overall pick. It has been suggested fans should not rule out the idea of the Patriots taking a tackle with the selection, although nearly everyone has decided it has to be a quarterback or Marvin Harrison Jr., which is what inspired this 7-round mock draft.

So that's where it starts: Drafting left tackle Joe Alt out of Notre Dame.

It will likely never be a fun pick for any team at any point, but the Patriots desperately need significant improvements among their offensive line. They'll need it even more if they choose not to re-sign Trent Brown and Mike Onwenu, who will both be hitting free agency next month.

Fortunately, this year's offensive linemen class is said to be deep, which would typically mean the Patriots could wait until a later round to take a left tackle. But because Wolf may be intrigued with taking the best of the class as early as possible, they select Joe Alt third overall.

The 6'8" 322 lbs. lineman had a memorable career with the Fighting Irish, missing just two games over the last three seasons. Alt would be an immediate starter, which is undoubtedly a factor the Patriots would love, and he is reliable in both the run game and pass protection, both of which were a concern for most of the 2023 season.

Through 36 games, he allowed just four sacks and five hits to the quarterback, a significant aspect of his game that will inevitably play a big part no matter what route New England decides to take regarding their next quarterback.

Although it wouldn't be the pick most fans would want, Alt would fill a huge void that would ultimately benefit the entire offense, and it's hard to argue against that.