The first day of the 2008 NFL Draft is in the books for the Patriots, and they predictably chose to get help at two positions onlookers thought they needed to: Tennessee linebacker Jerod Mayo is a solid player, taken with the 10th overall pick, and Colorado cornerback Terrence Wheatley appears to be a ball hawk, aka Asante Samuel.

The question is, could they have had either at picks further down the draft? Many felt Mayo wouldn't be picked until late in the first round, and Wheatley was, according to one publication, a fifth rounder at best.  But they appear to be solid players. Wheatley had 14 career interceptions, third all-time for the Buffaloes. Mayo seems to be a tackling machine. And a smart one at that, with his degree already attained and his wit is pretty good, as evidenced by his media conference call. "What headlines am I going to get with the Mayo last name?" he asked. ".....Oh, so everybody goes quiet now?"

Wheatley, meanwhile, is third on Colorado's all-time interception list with 14 picks. But some say he lacks the strength to really make an impact.

"Anybody who has watched tape (of Wheatley) knows that he's pretty good," Colorado coach Dan Hawkins told the Denver Post late last October. "We've kine of been on him a little bit because his expectations are high, and ours are as well. We kind of challenged him a little bit. He definitely answered."

--- TOM KING

Let the anticipation begin. What will the Patriots do in about an hour to 90 minutes from now? It's hard to say, because it depends on any coveted players that free fall....the guess here is that the Patriots will be sorely tempted to trade down and get out of the big money picks they don't feel are worth the cash.

If they do stay.....I still say Keith Rivers out of USC would be their best choice, but this high they like the beef: an offensive or defensive lineman.

We'll know in a bit.

-- TOM KING

Sorry, fans, make that as many as FIVE 1 p.m. home games, not six. The Nov. 23 game against Miami is on the road, not home, which also means the team does not have four straight home games during the stretch from Nov. 9 to Nov. 30 (it's three out of four, interrupted by the Miami road game).

My apologies.

-- TOM KING

The New England Patriots schedule is out, and, as owner Robert Kraft wanted, there is the potential for, depending on flex scheduling, as many as six 1 p.m. home games. Right now there are three NBC Sunday night appearances (all on the road), and two prime time games at Gillette -- Monday Oct. 20 vs. Denver and an odd Thursday, Nov. 13 vs. the Jets on the NFL Network.

The Patriots open up at home at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 7 vs. Kansas City; are at the Jets on Sept. 14 for a 4:15 game, host Miami on Sept. 21 at 1. The bye week in Sept. 28, followed by an Oct. 5 game at San Francisco (one of four west coast trips). The team is then at San Diego the following week, Oct. 12, for a Sunday night game. Their next game is also in prime time, the MOnday nighter (8:30) at home vs. Denver.

Another 1 p.m. game at home vs. St. Louis takes place on Oct. 26, and then the Patriots have their annual early November game vs. Indianapolis, this one a Sunday night, Nov. 2 game in Indy's new stadium.

They return for the first of four straight at  home to host the Bills at 1 p.m. on Nov. 9, followed by the Thursday night home game vs. the Jets, a scheduled 1 p.m. home game Nov. 23 vs. Miami (flex scheduling starts here), and then a 4:15 home game Sunday, Nov. 30 vs. Pittsburgh.

The Patriots then make their second back-to-back west coast stretch, at Seattle for a Sunday night game on Dec. 7 and Sunday Dec. 14 at 4:15 vs. Oakland. The team's final regular season home game is Sunday, Dec. 21 vs. Arizona at 1 p.m. (again, remember flex scheduling) and the regular season finale is at Buffalo at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 28.

-- TOM KING

Stop the presses. The New England Patriots on Monday signed a linebacker that is actually under 30 year of age.

Welcome former New York Jet Victor Hobson into the Patriot fold. It's a good move for the Patriots, who needed to get younger at the position and did so by inking the 28-year-old free agent who started 14 games for the Jets last season and has proved durable, missing only four games in his five-year NFL career. Last year Hobson made 62 tackles with two sacks and had a career high three passes defended. He has three INTs and 11 sacks over his career, all of which was spent with the Jets, who drafted him in the second round in 2003.

"Victor is a good young player with considerable playing experience," Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said in a release.  "We are excited about his addition to our linebacker unit."

Hobson's signing makes up in part for the release of Rosevelt Colvin and also will presumably give the Patriots  more options on draft weekend, which is less than three weeks away.

-- TOM KING

Stop the presses. The New England Patriots on Monday signed a linebacker that is actually under 30 year of age.

Welcome former New York Jet Victor Hobson into the Patriot fold. It's a good move for the Patriots, who needed to get younger at the position and did so by inking the 28-year-old free agent who started 14 games for the Jets last season and has proved durable, missing only four games in his five-year NFL career. Last year Hobson made 62 tackles with two sacks and had a career high three passes defended. He has three INTs and 11 sacks over his career, all of which was spent with the Jets, who drafted him in the second round in 2003.

"Victor is a good young player with considerable playing experience," Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said in a release.  "We are excited about his addition to our linebacker unit."

Hobson's signing makes up in part for the release of Rosevelt Colvin and also will presumably give the Patriots  more options on draft weekend, which is less than three weeks away.

-- TOM KING

Mark your calendars now -- well, sort of. The New England Patriots announced their 2008 preseson opponents by weekend, with only one date firmly set. Those will be announced at a later time.

The team will open up the preseason at Gillette Stadium vs. the Baltimore Ravens, and will play it anytime from Thursday, Aug. 7 to Monday, Aug. 11.

The one date that is set is an NFL Network game at Tampa Bay on Sunday, Aug. 17 at 8 p.m.

 The team's other home exhibition game is vs. Philadelphia sometime from Aug. 21-25. The preseason wraps up with a weeknight finale at Giants Stadium either Thursday or Friday, Aug. 28 or 29, vs. the now-hated New York Giants in a Super Bowl rematch.

-- TOM KING