The New England Patriots' scouting department is seeing some notable shifts as the dust settles on the 2026 NFL Draft. Following the departure of director of scouting projects Marshall Oium, the reigning AFC champions have now made a change at their Midwest area scout position—a role that's crucial for identifying talent in one of college football's most competitive regions.
Justin Hickman, who had been with the organization since 2020, is moving on to become a national scout with the Atlanta Falcons. To fill his shoes, the Patriots have brought in Robert Haines, a seasoned scout with over two decades of NFL experience, primarily with the Carolina Panthers. NFL insider Neil Stratton was first to break the news of these moves.
Haines arrives in New England after a remarkable 22-year tenure in Carolina. His journey began in the Panthers' video department back in 2002, and he steadily climbed the ranks—serving as a college scouting assistant from 2005 to 2006, then as a pro scouting assistant in 2007. After stints as a Combine scout in 2008 and 2009, he took over as the team's Northeast area scout in 2010. In 2021, he shifted to covering the Southeast region, and by 2022, he had earned the title of national scout. Following the 2024 season, the Panthers parted ways with the North Carolina native, but now, a year later, he's found a new home with the Patriots, returning to his roots as an area scout.
This hire makes plenty of sense when you consider the connections. Haines spent 14 of his 22 years in Carolina working alongside Ryan Cowden, the Patriots' current vice president of player personnel, whose own NFL journey began with the Panthers in 2000. It's a reunion that could pay dividends for New England's draft strategy moving forward.
As for Hickman, his path to the Patriots was equally unique. A former defensive end who played in both the NFL and CFL, he joined New England in 2020 after scouting for the Toronto Argonauts (2017-19) and serving as an analyst and scouting manager for the XFL's Tampa Bay Vipers in 2020. His departure leaves a gap, but the Patriots still have a solid core of area scouts on staff entering 2026: Alex Brooks (Southwest), J.T. Hill (Southeast), Landon Simpson (West), and Bryson Speas (Northeast).