When it comes to pre-draft misdirection, Patriots coach Bill Belichick can play the game with the best of them.

Michael Buchanan was selected in the seventh round after showing leadership skills at Illinois. (AP)

In New England, a predraft visit can mean one of three things: One, it could be a sign of genuine interest in a prospect. The Patriots rarely tip their hand in such a fashion, but it has been known to happen. Two, it could be a smokescreen to feign interest in hopes of creating some pre-draft misdirection. And three, it could be an attempt to kick the tires on a player — not so much for immediate, pre-draft information, but an attempt to gain intel down the road.

Last year, New England had almost no pre-draft contact with its first two picks, Chandler Jones (only a combine interview) and Dont’a Hightower. And in 2011, Nate Solder’s pre-draft visit was canceled at the last minute. He ended up going in the first round to New England.

But when it came to Illinois defensive end/outside linebacker Michael Buchanan, Belichick couldn’t mask his emotions. He flew out to Illinois just before the draft to check out the 6-foot-5, 255-pound hybrid defender who finished his college career with 14 sacks, and the Patriots ended up taking him in the seventh round with the 226th overall pick.

As a collegian at Illinois, Buchanan made his name as a “gym rat,” according to defensive coordinator Tim Banks.

“Football is really important to him — I can’t tell you how many nights we got out of here late and we thought we were the last ones leaving the facility and it turns out he’s still around watching film,” Banks said of Buchanan. “I believe his best football is ahead of him, and he’s going to an organization where what he learned can be put to great use.

“I think the thing that stands out the most for me is his work ethic, combined with a tremendous amount of ability. You don’t see that in many kids. We knew he was a good player, but we had no idea how hungry and how hard-working a kid he was.”

In 46 career games (32 starts) at Illinois, Buchanan recorded 161 tackles, 26 tackles for losses, and 14 sacks, and was a two-time All-Big Ten second-teamer. In his junior season, he had 64 tackles and 7.5 sacks as Illinois went 7-6. However, those numbers dipped as a senior when he had 57 tackles and 4.5 sacks for a 2-10 Illini team.
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Third-round pick Logan Ryan has agreed to terms with the Patriots, according to his agents.

Ryan, who was taken with the 83rd overall selection out of Rutgers, is a 5-foot-11, 191-pound cornerback. He had 93 tackles and four interceptions as a senior, and was one of three players drafted by the Patriots out of Rutgers this spring.

Ryan is the third member of the Patriots draft class to agree to a contract — college teammates Duron Harmon and Steve Beauharnais have also agreed to rookie deals with New England.

For more Patriots news, check out weei.com/patriots.

Steve Beauharnais

The Patriots and seventh-round pick Steve Beauharnais have agreed to a contract, according to a league source, and the Rutgers product is expected to sign his deal later Thursday afternoon.

Beauharnais is a 6-foot-1, 240-pounder who was taken 235th overall, and was one of three Scarlet Knights who was selected by the Patriots in this draft. Beauharnais finished his senior season with 77 tackles, 16 of them for a loss, to go along with five sacks and three interceptions.

Beauharnais was adamant that he would not sign a deal until he was done with his studies for the year, and he was true to his word — according to a source, he took his last final on Wednesday and was in Foxboro on Thursday participating in the offseason workout program, lifting weights and attending meetings.

Beauharnais is the second member of New England’s 2013 draft class to reach a contract agreement. Third-round pick Duron Harmon signed his deal earlier in the week.

For more Patriots news, check out weei.com/patriots.

Tommy Kelly

The news that defensive tackle Kyle Love was released certainly shakes up one of the most intriguing spots on the roster for the Patriots, one we examined here as part of a piece on looming position battles: Who will see the most snaps opposite Vince Wilfork at defensive tackle?

It certainly appeared that Love had the inside track on the job after the Patriots decided to cut loose Brandon Deaderick earlier this week. But with the news of New England’s decision to move on from both Love and Deaderick, it looks like newcomers Tommy Kelly and Armond Armstead will be in line for a significant role in 2013.

As we wrote earlier on Wednesday, Armstead is a CFL export who brings some pass-rushing skills to the table (he had six sacks last season with Toronto) while Kelly is a veteran defensive lineman who also has shown an ability to get after the passer (he had a combined 14.5 sacks in 2011 and 2010).

Other possibilities at the spot include Marcus Forston, who is heading into his second season on the roster, as well as rookies Cory “Pork Chop” Grissom, Dewayne Cherrington and Joe Vellano.

The Patriots have released defensive tackle Kyle Love with a non-football injury designation. Love’s agent Richard Kopelman of KLASS Sports told ESPN that Love has recently been diagnosed with Type-2 diabetes.

Love, 26, is a 6-foot-1, 315-pounder out of Mississippi State who has spent three seasons in the NFL, all with the Patriots. His best season came in 2011 when he had 33 tackles and three sacks.

For more Patriots news, check out weei.com/patriots.

Despite reports he had inked a deal with the Patriots, seventh-round pick Steve Beauharnais has not come to terms with New England as of yet, according to his agent, Mook Williams.

Williams Tweeted Tuesday evening: “True to his comments after the [NFL Draft], Steve Beauharnais is presently focussed on his finals at Rutgers. No executed contract yet.”

Beauharnais, a seventh-round pick out of Rutgers, is a 6-foot-1, 240-pounder out of Rutgers who was taken 235th overall, and was one of three Scarlet Knights who was selected by the Patriots in this draft. Beauharnais finished his senior season with 77 tackles, 16 of them for a loss, to go along with five sacks and three interceptions.

Earlier in the day, the Patriots came to terms with third-round selection Duron Harmon.

Shane Vereen

FOXBORO — Exit Danny Woodhead, enter Shane Vereen.

In the wake of Woodhead’s decision to sign a free-agent deal with the Chargers this offseason, the 5-foot-9, 205-pound Vereen figures to take over the role of Patriots’ third-down back in 2013 on a full-time basis.

The Cal product, who got a small taste of the workload last season, flashed positively at times throughout the season, including a three- touchdown performance in the divisional playoff round against the Texans.

“What I learned from that [game] is that I can do it, confidence wise,” said Vereen, who had two receiving touchdowns and one rushing touchdown in the win. “It helps, but it’s a new season. Anything can happen. You’re starting from ground zero.”

Vereen, who finished the 2012 season with 62 carries for 251 yards and three touchdowns and eight catches for 149 yards and one touchdown, knows that it’s one thing to perform at a high level for a game here or there. It’s another thing to do it on a consistent basis, something that’s eluded the 24-year-old over his first two seasons in the league for a couple reasons: One, Woodhead was ahead of him on the depth chart, and his durability and skills allowed him to get the bulk of the snaps as the primary third-down option out of the backfield.

“It’s going to be hard to replace a guy like Woody,” Vereen said of Woodhead, who in 2012 became the first New England running back to finish a season with at least 40 catches and 40 carries since Kevin Faulk did it in 2008. “He had a lot of experience. He had a lot of knowledge. He’s a smart player. His role was pretty key to the team. I learned a lot from him. You can’t really replace him. All you can do is move on and hope to get better from there.”

And two, Vereen struggled with injury at times over his first two seasons, including hamstring and foot issues.

“Injuries are never good — it’s always frustrating,” he said. “You want to be out there as much as possible, so when I’m not, it’s disheartening. But I’m out there now, and I’m trying to stay as healthy as possible.”

Now, this Golden Bear realizes he has a golden opportunity. As a result, he’s sharpened his focus, saying that he’s approaching the 2013 season “a little bit differently than I did last season” when it comes to his role on the team.

“There’s a little more focus on my part. There has to be,” he said. “[I need to] just be more consistent. More reliable. That comes with practice and that comes with time, so hopefully we’ll get there,” he said Tuesday in between workouts at Gillette Stadium.”

“I was ready to play, probably last week,” he added. “Just getting back and getting the itch for it. You kind of miss it now that we’ve been out a couple of months. It’s coming. It’ll be here faster than we realize. The itch is back.”