The draft is less than a month away and teams are busy readying their draft boards, watching game film and hosting potential employees (well, teams not located in Cleveland -- they won't make their first selection until the fourth round).
Anyway, the Patriots have the seventh-overall pick and could go in any number of directions. Assuming this rumor isn't true, the biggest needs are on defense, although I'm guessing New England would eagerly listen to trade-down offers. Last week, I mentioned that the Pats worked out former Ohio State DE/LB Vernon Gholston, and yesterday the Boston Globe's Mike Reiss reports that former USC LB Keith Rivers will soon get the once-over.
Both players would be logical choices at No. 7 -- the linebackers currently on the roster decrepit. And as Reiss writes, two of the team's top five players from 2007 -- linebackers Rosie Colvin and Junior Seau -- are free agents.
Perhaps more telling are the list of remaining players scheduled to visit Foxboro: Virginia Tech CB Brandon Flowers, Iowa DB Charles Godfrey, USC CB Terrell Thomas and Georgia Tech DE/LB Darrell Robertson. Notice anything? I wouldn't be surprised if the Patriots drafted an offensive linemen or two, but I think shoring up the defense is the top priority heading into the draft. Which is why I'm sure New England will end up drafting Matt Ryan.
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