Overview
- The Patriots, in reports published Thursday, were confirmed to have hosted UCF’s Malachi Lawrence late last month and Illinois’ Gabe Jacas this week on top‑30 visits.
- Personnel chief Eliot Wolf said the team wants more speed off the edge, a goal that helps explain these visits used for medical checks, coach meetings, and fit evaluations.
- Lawrence drew wide league interest with roughly 16 top‑30 visits that included the Eagles, boosted by a 4.52‑second 40 at the Combine and strong backfield production at UCF.
- Both Lawrence and Jacas are commonly projected as early Day 2 picks, with some mock drafts placing Lawrence as high as the late first round.
- Coverage also notes New England’s broader search at edge and minor discrepancies in Jacas’ listed honors and stats across outlets.