Patriots Schedule Workouts With Rivers, Others

One of the largest barometers of a team’s interest in a prospect are the pre-draft visits the team holds.  For example, in 2006, the Patriots hosted Laurence Maroney, and in 2007, Meriweather.  However, the team can also use the visits to further evaluate players with injuries, like Michael Bush last year.  A team can schedule up to 30 visits before the draft.

As of the last few days, the Patriots have started making arrangements to fly players down.  Mike Reiss reports:

The Patriots are scheduled to host Southern California linebacker Keith Rivers on a pre-draft visit at Gillette Stadium. Rivers, who is expected to be picked in the first round, is set to come to town in the second week of April.

The Patriots are also scheduled to host Virginia Tech CB Brandon Flowers, Iowa DB Charles Godfrey, USC CB Terrell Thomas and Georgia Tech DE/LB Darrell Robertson.

Brandon Flowers, Charles Godfrey, and Terrell Thomas are all cornerbacks that could go at 62 or 69.  While Godfrey and Flowers are players with a lot of talent and potential, Terrell Thomas is a guy I really like.  He has size at six one, and can play a physical game at the line.

I am also intrigued that we’re looking at Keith Rivers.  If he was around at 13, and Ryan was around at seven, could we see a possible trade with the Panthers?  I recently analyzed Keith Rivers, so take a look at that post for more.