Patriots Draft Rumors: Shea McClellin, Mark Barron

Over the next few days, we're going to hear countless rumors from legitimate media outlets about teams "loving" a certain player, wanting to trade up to go get their guy, being willing to trade back, etc. We'll try to get to and reflect on as many of these rumors as humanly possible, even if most of them turn out to be false.

That being said, we've got our first pair of draft rumors to report.

In his Monday Morning Quarterback column, SI's Peter King reports that the Patriots recently worked out Boise State defensive end / outside linebacker Shea McClellin and they "liked what they saw." Nothing groundbreaking, but it is interesting to hear that the Patriots held a private workout with McClellin. He's a player we've talked about a considerable amount in this space. He's versatile, can rush from any spot, is athletic, and fits the mold of a Patriots 3-4 outside linebacker. It's sounding like he could be a realistic target for the Patriots in the first round.

CSNNE's Tom Curran has also reported that if the Patriots were to move up for a player, it would be for Alabama safety Mark Barron. Barron is an excellent player who would become an immediate starter and impact player for the Patriots at one of their greatest positions of need. However, he's very unlikely to be available when the Patriots pick at 27. That being said, New England would likely have to move in front of the Dallas Cowboys (who hold the 14th pick) in order to get him. I wouldn't rule that out, but I think the price of moving up that high might be just a little too steep for the Patriots.