Patriots hosted Gholston

The Patriots hosted Ohio State's Vernon Gholston on a pre-draft visit at Gillette Stadium on Tuesday, marking another piece in the team's extensive preparations.

Expected to be a top 10 pick, Gholston (6-3, 266) would project as an outside linebacker in the Patriots' base 3-4 defense, potentially improving the team's pass rush. He could also play in a two-point stance in sub packages.

As the NFL Network's Adam Schefter points out in this piece on NFL.com, the Patriots are hosting several highly touted prospects before the draft -- a group that includes Tennessee State cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Kansas cornerback Aqib Talib, and LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey.

Pre-draft visits do not include workouts, so they are essentially final interviews and medical checks. In some cases, the visits indicate genuine interest from a team. In other cases, it could be a smokescreen, or confirm non-interest.

An updated list of some of the prospects the Patriots are hosting on pre-draft visits is part of the weekly Patriots mailbag on Boston.com.