Nebraska Football Hires NE Patriot Exec Graham as GM

General Manager is a relatively new position in the College Football landscape, and on Wednesday Nebraska made a new GM hire following a recent departure, and it comes from the NFL.

Per ESPN.com, the Husker football program is hiring Patrick Stewart, who most recently was with the NFL's New England Patriots:

Current Nebraska general manager Sean Padden -- who oversaw top recruiting classes in this cycle in high school recruiting and in the NCAA transfer portal -- will move to a new role of assistant AD for strategic intelligence, sources told Thamel. Padden's role will include ties to the salary cap, contract negotiations and analytics, while Stewart will run the personnel department.

Under second-year coach Matt Rhule, Nebraska finished 7-6 last season, capping its year with a 20-15 win over Boston College in the Pinstripe Bowl. The Cornhuskers were 3-6 in the Big Ten.

 

In New England, Stewart's departure comes at a time in which the Patriots are in transition under first-year coach Mike Vrabel. The hiring of Vrabel has had a ripple effect on the front office with the addition of vice president of player personnel Ryan Cowden, who had worked with Vrabel with the Tennessee Titans for five seasons (2018 to 2022).

 

The Patriots' personnel department is still led by executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf, who had tapped Stewart as director of pro personnel last year. Sam Fioroni had served as the Patriots' assistant director of pro personnel in 2024. Others on staff could also be eyed for a promotion or new role.

 

Stewart, who graduated from Ohio State, began his professional career in the college ranks with the Buckeyes (2000 to 2004), Western Carolina (2005) and Temple (2006) before breaking into the NFL with the Patriots in 2007 as a scouting assistant. He then split time between college and pro scouting with the organization over the next 10 seasons.

The Huskers finished last season with a promising 7-6 record and a bowl victory.

The 2025 season begins in late August for the Huskers, who take on the Cincinnati Bearcats at Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday, August 28th.

Source: ESPN.com