Draft day is finally here. For the first time since 2015, the Patriots have a pick in the first round. They are slated to pick twice in tonight’s opening round at No. 23 and No. 31. On Friday, they have two picks in the second round (43 and 65) and another in the third round (95). The Pats will wrap up the 2018 NFL Draft on Saturday where they currently hold three selections – two in the sixth and one in the seventh.

Tonight’s action kicks off at 8 p.m. [...]

Mark Daniels

Tonight’s action kicks off at 8 p.m.

Leading up to this draft, the Patriots did their homework on hundreds of prospects. Although this is a team that keeps lots of secrets, they have been known to draft players that were well connected with them in the pre-draft process. For example, Derek Rivers was one of the most connected prospects to the Patriots and they ended up selecting him with their first pick. Other examples include Tony Garcia, Cyrus Jones, Malcolm Mitchell, Shaq Mason, Tre’ Jackson and Joe Cardona.

Here’s a list of players connected to the Patriots, sorted by position and draft projection from NFL.com. We compiled this list from various reports over the last three months along with additional reporting.

Quarterback

Sam Darnold, USC (Bielema at Pro Day) – Round 1

Josh Rosen, UCLA (‘interest’) – Round 1

Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma (‘interest’) – Round 1

Josh Allen, Wyoming (scouts at school) – Round 1

Lamar Jackson, Louisville (Caserio at Pro Day, workout with McDaniels, Visit) – Round 1

Mason Rudolph, Oklahoma State (private workout) – Round 1/2

Kyle Lauletta, Richmond (Met with scouts, Patriots at Pro day, private workout) – Round 3

Mike White, Western Kentucky (pro day, workout with Caserio) – Round 3-4

Luke Falk, Washington State (Senior Bowl, private) – Round 4

Logan Woodside, Toledo (Pats scout at NFLPA Collegiate Bowl; Caserio at Pro day) – Round 6

Chad Kanoff, Princeton (Pro Day, Five hours with Schuplinski) – Round 6

Chase Littleton, Marshal (Pro Day) – Round 6-7

J.T. Barrett, Ohio State (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 7

Alex McGough, Florida International (private workout) – Round 7

Running back

Saquon Barkley, Penn St (Pro Day) - Round 1

Derrius Guice, LSU (visit) – Round 1/2

Ronald Jones, USC (Bielema at Pro Day, visit) – Round 1/2

Sony Michel, Georgia (Combine, Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 2

Nyneim Hines, N.C. State (Combine, Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 3/4

Nick Chubb Georgia, (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round ž

Royce Freeman, Oregon (Pro Day) – Round 3/4

Mark Walton, Miami (Ivan Fears at Combine, Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 4

Bo Scarbrough, Alabama (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 4/5

Akrum Wadley, Iowa (Combine, Pro Day) – Round 5

Darrel Williams, LSU (Combine) – Round 5/6

Josh Adams, Notre Dame (Pro Day) – Round 6/7

Chase Edmonds, Fordham (Combine) – Round 7

Keith Ford, Texas A&M (Pro Day) – Round 7

Ito Smith, Southern Mississippi (private workout) – Round 7

Wide receiver

Calvin Ridley, Alabama (Belichick at Pro Day, visit) – Round 1

D.J. Moore, Maryland (visit) – Round 1/2

Courtland Sutton, SMU (private workout) – Round 2

Christian Kirk, Texas A&M (Visit, Pro Day) – Round 2/3

Dante Pettis, Washington (Combine) – Round 2/3

DaeSean Hamilton, Penn State (meeting with Chad O’Shea, Pro Day) – Round 3

Keke Coutee, Texas Tech (informal meeting Combine) – Round 3/4

Equanimeous St. Brown, Notre Dame (Pro Day) – Round 3/4

Deontay Burnett, USC (Bielema at Pro Day) – Round 4/5

Trey Quinn, SMU (Combine) – Round 5

Javon Wims, Georgia (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 5/6

Robert Foster, Alabama (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 6/7

Richie James, Middle Tennessee (informal meeting Combine) – Round 6/7

Braxton Berrios, Miami (Belichick at Pro Day, Visit) – Round 6/7

Damion Ratley, Texas A&M (Pro Day) – Round 7

Steven Mitchell, USC (Bielema at Pro Day) – Round 7

Vyncint Smith, Limestone (Belichick at SC Pro Day) – UDFA

Korey Robertson, Southern Miss (Pro Day) – UDFA

Tight end

Hayden Hurst, South Carolina (Belichick at Combine, Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 1/2

Dallas Goedert, South Dakota State (Senior Bowl) – Round 1/2

Mike Gesicki, Penn State (Pro Day) – Round 2

Mark Andrews, Oklahoma (informal interview Combine) – Round 3/4

Jalen Samuels, N.C. State (Senior Bowl, Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 4

Durham Smythe, Notre Dame (Pro Day) – Round 4/5

Troy Fumagalli, Wisconsin (Caserio at Pro Day) Round 4/5

Chris Herndon, Miami (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 4/5

Jeb Blazevich, Georgia (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 6/7

Marcus Baugh, Ohio State (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 7

Ross Dwelley, San Diego (Patriots at Pro Day) – UDFA

Offensive Tackle

Mike McGlinchey, Notre Dame (Scar at Pro Day) - Round 1

Connor Williams, Texas (visit) – Round 1/2

Kolton Miller, UCLA (Combine, private workout, visit) – Round 1/2

Tyrell Crosby, Oregon (Pro Day, Visit) – Round 2/3

Geron Christian, Louisville (Caserio at Pro Day) – Round 3/4

Will Richardson, N.C. State (Belichick at Pro Day, Visit) – Round 3/4

Jamarco Jones, Ohio State (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 3/4

Ike Boettger, Iowa (Pro Day) – Round 4/5

Brandon Parker, North Carolina A&T (Scar at Pro Day) – Round 5/6

Rick Leonard, Florida State (Combine) – Round 7

Offensive Guard

Quenton Nelson, Notre Dame (Scar at Pro Day) - Round 1 (top 10)

Isaiah, Wynn, Georgia (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 1/2

Brendan Mahon, Penn St. (Pro Day) – Round 4/5

Tony Adams, N.C. State (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 5

Sean Walsh, Iowa (Pro Day, Met after Pro Day) – Round 5/6

KC McDermott, Miami (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 7

Trevor Darling, Miami (Belichick at Pro Day) – UDFA

Center

James Daniels, Iowa (Pro Day, Met after Pro Day) – Round 1/2

Billy Price, Ohio State (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 1/2

Cory Helms, South Carolina (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 7

Bradley Bozeman, Alabama (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 7

Defensive end

Bradley Chubb, N.C. State (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 1

Harold Landry, Boston College (Met with Brendan Daly at Pro Day) – Round 1

Rasheem Green, USC (Bielema at Pro Day, private workout, visit) – Round 2

Sam Hubbard, Ohio State (Combine, Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 2

Lorenzo Carter, Georgia (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 2

Duke Ejiofor, Wake Forest (Combine, visit) – Round 2/3

Josh Sweat, Florida St. (Visit) – Round 2/3

Chad Thomas, Miami (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 2/3

Jalyn Holmes, Ohio State (Combine, Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 3

Uchenna Nwosu, USC (Bielema at Pro Day) Round 3/4

Kylie Fitts, Utah (Combine) – Round 4-5

Tyquan Lewis, Ohio State (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 5/6

Leon Jacobs, Wisconsin (Caserio at Pro Day) – Round 5

Trevon Young, Louisville (Caserio at Pro Day) – Round 6/7

Ola Adeniyi, Toledo (Caserio at Pro Day) – Round 6/7

Matt Dickerson, UCLA (Combine) – Round 6/7

Andrew Brown, Virginia (Combine) – Round 6/7

Dominic Perkovic, Columbia (Pro Day) – Round 7

Kentavius Street, N.C. State (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 7

Davin Bellamy, Georgia (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 7

Marcus Martin, Slippery Rock DE/FB (Chad O’Shea at Pro Day) – Round 7

Garret Dooley, Wisconsin (Caserio at Pro Day) – Round 7

Alec James, Wisconsin (Caserio at Pro Day) –UDFA

Defensive tackle

Da’Shawn Hand, Alabama (Senior Bowl, Combine, Belichick Pro Day) – Round 1

R.J. McIntosh, Miami (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 3

P.J. Hall, Sam Houston St. (workout) – Round 3

Breeland Speaks, Mississippi (visit) – Round 3/4

Kendrick Norton, Miami (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 4

B.J. Hill, N.C. State (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 4/5

Trenton Thompson, Georgia (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 4/5

Zaycoven Henderson, Texas A&M (Pro Day) – Round 5/6

Bilal Nichols, Delaware (private workout) – Round 6

Justin Jones, N.C. State (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 6

John Atkins, Georgia (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 6/7

Taylor Stallworth, South Carolina (Combine, Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 6/7

Joshua Frazier, Alabama (Belichick at Pro Day) –UDFA

Lord Hyeamang, Columbia (Pro Day) –UDFA

Parker Cothren, Penn State (Pro Day) – UDFA

Curtis Cothran, Penn State (Pro Day) - UDFA

Linebacker

Roquan Smith, Georgia (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 1

Rashaan Evans, Alabama (Combine, Belichick Pro Day, Visit) – Round 1

Leighton Vander Esch, Boise State (informal interview Combine, Visit) – Round 1

Jerome Baker, Ohio State (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 2/3

Josey Jewell, Iowa (Pro Day, Met after Pro Day) – Round 5/6

Jack Cichy, Wisconsin (Caserio at Pro Day) – Round 5/6

James Hearns, Louisville (Caserio at Pro Day) – Round 5/6

Christian Sam, Arizona State (visit) – Round 5/6

Skai Moore, South Carolina (Combine, met with Belichick after Pro Day) – Round 7

Jason Cabinda, Penn State (Pro Day) – Round 7

Chris Worley, Ohio State (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 7

Conor Sheehy, Wisconsin (Caserio at Pro Day) – UDFA

Jermaine Carter, Maryland (talked) – UDFA

Bo Bower, Iowa (Pro Day, Met after Pro Day) – UDFA

Ben Niemann, Iowa (Pro Day, Met after Pro Day) – UDFA

Nyles Morgan, Notre Dame (Pro Day) – UDFA

Cornerback

Denzel Ward, Ohio State (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 1

Josh Jackson, Iowa (Pro Day, Met with Pats after Pro Day) – Round 1

Jaire Alexander, Louisville (Caserio at Pro Day) – Round 1

Anthony Averett, Alabama (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 2

Duke Dawson, Florida (visit) – Round 3

Nick Nelson, Wisconsin (Caserio at Pro Day) – Round 3/4

Tony Brown, Alabama (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 4

Jamarcus King, South Carolina (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 5

D.J. Reed, Kansas State (private workout) – Round 5

Tremon Smith, Central Arkansas (private workout) – Round 5/6

Levi Wallace, Alabama (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 6/7

Chris Campbell, Penn State (Pro Day) – Round 6/7

Grant Haley, Penn State (Pro Day) – Round 7

Arrion Springs, Oregon (Pro Day, met after Pro Day) – Round 7

Shaun Dion Hamilton, Alabama (Belichick at Pro Day) –UDFA

Cameron Roane, Columbia (Pro Day) – UDFA

Dee Delaney, Miami (Belichick at Pro Day) – UDFA

Keion Crossen, Western Carolina (private workout) - UDFA

Safety

Minkah Fitzpatrick, Alabama (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 1

Justin Reid, Stanford (Combine interview with Belichick and Steve) – Round 2

Ronnie Harrison, Alabama (Combine, Belichick Pro Day, private workout) – Round 2

Armani Watts, Texas A&N (Pro Day) – Round 2/3

Marcus Allen, Penn St. (Pro Day) – Round 4

Chucky Williams, Louisville (Caserio at Pro Day) – Round 5

Tre Flowers, Oklahoma State (Combine) – Round 5/6

Domincik Sanders, Georgia (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 6/7

Natrell Jamerson, Wisconsin (Caserio at Pro Day) – Round 7

Troy Apke, Penn St. (Pro Day) – Round 7

Kicker/Punter

P JK Scott, Alabama (Belichick at Pro Day) – Round 5

LS Tanner Carew, Oregon (Pro Day) – Round 6/7

P Shane Tripucka, Texas A&M (Pro Day) – UDFA

K Mike Badgley, Miami (Belichick at Pro Day) – UDFA

A look at which prospects the Patriots are connected with