Jon Beason is leaving college and looking for a job. He'll find one -- a lucrative one, at that -- next weekend, during the NFL Draft.

Some pigskin pundits even predict that the University of Miami linebacker, who visited Foxboro recently, will wind up with the Patriots.

Normally, it's nearly impossible to learn what goes on during these unique job interviews that future Draft picks have with their prospective NFL employers. But Beason gave a rare, revealing account of his trip to Gillette to Scout.com, which is worth checking out.

Will Beason be among the Pats' picks on Day 1 of the Draft? Not according to most of the latest Mock Drafts out there.

NFL.com and FOXSports.com think New England will take a particular cornerback from Texas with their first selection, then a top offensive lineman with their second.

Meanwhile, CBSSportsline.com and NBCSports.com can't seem to find much common ground with their predictions for the Patriots. Linebackers, safeties, and even a tight end are in their mixes.

Running back could be a target of the Pats, though perhaps not on the first day. With that in mind, the* Woonsocket Call* analyzed the prospects at that position this past weekend.

Elsewhere, the tributes keep poring in for retired former Patriot Drew Bledsoe. The Nashua Telegraph and Patriot Ledger are the latest to chime in.

And another one-time Patriot, safety Corwin Brown, is doing rather well for himself these days. This fall, as the Chicago Sun-Times details in an interesting piece, he'll become defensive coordinator at Notre Dame (under head coach and former Patriots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis).

And despite the cold, wind, and rain, Tedy Bruschi made a special appearance at Monday's Boston Marathon. Find out why in today's Boston Herald.