The Patriots are scheduled to host Missouri defensive lineman Evander "Ziggy" Hood on a pre-draft visit at Gillette Stadium, according to league sources.

The 6-foot-3, 300-pound Hood is one of the more experienced linemen in the draft, as he started 32 of 48 games over his college career. He is projected to be selected as high as the mid-to-late first round.

Hood fits a different profile than what one might consider the Patriots would be seeking, as he was utilized as a "3-technique" defensive tackle at Missouri, meaning he usually lined up between the guard and offensive tackle and was most often shooting gaps. In the Patriots’ 3-4 defense, Hood would project to be an end, which would be a different assignment.