Bill Belichick's pal Greg Schiano hasn't coached at Rutgers since 2011, but that doesn't mean the Patriots will suddenly stop considering Scarlet Knights that are deserving of attention.
According to Dan Duggan of NJ.com, Rutgers receiver Leonte Carroo has a visit with the Patriots scheduled for Monday. The 6-foot, 217-pound pass-catcher also has visits lined up with the Dolphins and Jets, per Duggan.
By rule, NFL clubs are allowed to host 30 prospects for pre-draft visits so New England's invitation to Carroo signals a certain level of interest. Visits provide teams with an opportunity to further evaluate players, interview them, and perform medical checks to clear up any questions that may have lingered during the combine.
Part of Carroo's visit may center on the health of his ankle, which kept him from running routes in front of scouts at the combine as well as at the Rutgers pro day in March. Carroo held a private workout last week to do on-the-field work in front of teams, but a visit to Gillette Stadium will give the Patriots a closer look at how his ankle is holding up.
On his scheduled visits, Carroo may also be asked about an incident in September that led to his arrest. He was charged with simple assault after a game, but the charge was later dismissed and Carroo was back on the field after serving a two-game suspension. The Patriots met with Carroo during the combine and very likely asked him about the incident then.
Despite his injury history, Carroo is considered to be one of the more talented receivers in the class. Typically he isn't lumped in with the tier of wideouts considered in the first round -- Ole Miss receiver Laquon Treadwell, Baylor's Corey Coleman, TCU's Josh Doctson and Notre Dame's Will Fuller -- but he's a well-rounded player with big-play ability and very dependable hands. Carroo performed very well during Senior Bowl practices before he aggravated his ankle issue and opted not to participate in the game.
The Patriots have had great success with Rutgers products in recent years, all of whom played for Schiano. The team currently has five Scarlet Knights on the roster, including safeties Devin McCourty and Duron Harmon, corner Logan Ryan, and linebackers Jonathan Freeny and Kevin Snyder. Safeties coach Steve Belichick also spent a year under Schiano as a walk-on long-snapper.
New England Patriots
Schiano was the head coach of the Buccaneers by the time Carroo began playing as a true freshman at Rutgers. Schiano is now in his first year as the defensive coordinator and associate head coach for Ohio State.
The Patriots have added a few pieces to their receiving corps this offseason in Chris Hogan and Nate Washington, but they've certainly done their due diligence on the players available in this year's draft class as well. In addition to Carroo, the team also reportedly had a visit scheduled with Tulsa wideout Keyarris Garrett.
Ohio State's Michael Thomas, Pittsburgh's Tyler Boyd, Oregon's Byron Marshall, Tennessee's Marquez North, Toledo's Alonzo Russell, and Ole Miss's Cody Core are all among the receivers who have reportedly had contact with the Patriots as well.