Patriots fill pro scouting director role

The New England Patriots have re-filled one of the top spots in their front office. As first reported by Neil Stratton of Inside the League, the Patriots have hired A.J. Highsmith as their director of pro scouting.

Highsmith is the son of current Patriots senior personnel executive Alonzo Highsmith. Alonzo joined the Patriots in 2024, after having worked with executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf in both Green Bay and Cleveland for multiple years.

In New England Highsmith replaces Patrick Stewart, who had been in that role in New England for the last two years. Stewart left in February to become the general manager for the University of Nebraska's football program.

Over the past 10 years Highsmith has had multiple scouting roles in NFL front offices. He began working with the San Francisco 49ers, where he went from a scouting assistant to a pro personnel scout. From there he joined the Buffalo Bills, eventually becoming a national scout there.

Last year Highsmith worked for the Tennessee Titans as their director of scouting. He was let go in January as a part of Tennessee's front office overhaul that including hiring a new general manager.