BY NICK ST. DENIS
Tom Brady must be shaking in his Ugg boots.
The New England Patriots, longtime subscribers to the concept of "due diligence," will host Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel Wednesday for a pre-draft visit, as first reported Tuesday by NFL Media's Ian Rapoport.
The team also met with UCF signal-caller Blake Bortles last week, though they were reportedly just as interested in getting intel on Bortles' teammates as they were in the first-round hopeful.
It's unlikely Manziel falls to the Patriots at No. 29 overall, and even if he did, it's just as unlikely that New England opts to use its top pick on a quarterback with Brady having a few years of tread left on his tires.
However, there are a few reasons the Patriots could be meeting with the former Heisman trophy winner aside from potential interest in drafting him, as they may simply be looking to pick his brain while setting up a smokescreen and/or gauging the draft day trade market.
Whatever the case may be, there's certainly a method to Bill Belichick's madness. And for Manziel, it doesn't hurt to make as many friends as possible.
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