WEEI.com is the place to be for everything you need to know about the 2010 NFL Draft. We’re kicking off the draft coverage by going through the Patriots’ depth chart, position by position, and telling you which players the Pats could target come late April.

Defense:

Cornerback

Safety

Outside Linebacker

Inside Linebacker

Defensive End

Defensive Tackle

Offense:

Tackle

GUARDS

State of the position: Stephen Neal (free agent), Logan Mankins (restricted free agent), Rich Ohrnberger (3 years remaining), Dan Connolly (2 years remaining), Ryan Wendell (contract unknown).

There is a considerable amount of uncertainty moving forward for the offensive line, but unlike tackle, where there are more than enough capable bodies, the Patriots may have a hole at right guard. Neal, already a free agent, is considering retirement for his body’s sake, so the right guard may be one of the earlier positions addressed in this draft.

Potential free agents of note: Jahri Evans (restricted), David Baas (restricted), Daryn Colledge (restricted).

GUARDS IN THE DRAFT TO KEEP AN EYE ON:

Vladimir Ducasse: Senior, Massachusetts, 6-foot-5, 315 pounds.

What he brings: Balance in both run and pass-blocking.

Where the Patriots could get him: Second Round.

A first-team All-American tackle at UMass, Ducasse is expected to make the move to guard in the NFL. Ducasse should weigh in next month as being a little heavier than the 315 pounds we have him listed as, but as is he is a little bigger than Mankins but far less polished. The Haitian-born Ducasse is still relatively new to football, as his senior year in Amherst was just his sixth year playing. Still, his combination of size and strength could see him sneak into the end of the first round, but a lot will depend on how he looks in the combine and Senior Bowl, the latter of which he will be his first time facing Division 1-A competition.

Mike Iupati: Senior, Idaho, 6-foot-6, 330 pounds

What he brings: Size, aggression.

Where the Patriots could get him: Second round.

I use the word “aggression” because there are three draft terms that absolutely drive me crazy: Tweener, workout-warrior, and mean streak. Either way, Iupati’s toughness at right guard for the Patriots would mirror that of the guy on the other side of Koppen. Some think Iupati could be a tackle in the NFL but should he play guard, which most assume he will, he could play sparingly as a rookie (his awareness has often been put into question) at multiple positions on the line as he continues to develop into an eventual starter.

Mike Johnson: Senior, Alabama, 6-foot-6, 305 pounds

What he brings: Excellent run-blocking.

Where the Patriots could get him: Fourth round.

Never put it past Belichick to keep an eye on Saban guys. Johnson is also pretty versatile and could end up going higher because of the program he played in and the line he played on. He played next to and even started in place of Andre Smith through his junior year and went on to make Mark Ingram’s Heisman run possible without the 2009 sixth overall pick. He could really help his case by putting on some weight prior to the combine in an effort to fill out his body.

CENTERS

State of the position: Dan Koppen (2 years remaining), Dan Connolly (2 years remaining).

Far from a need in this draft, the Patriots have benefitted tremendously from their fifth-round selection of Koppen, who has started every game but one since the beginning of the 2007 season. They also have to love what they’ve seen out of Connolly so far, so there is no way the Patriots should be looking at centers. Still, something as silly as positional stability shouldn’t put a damper on some good draft talk…

Potential free agents of note: Kevin Mawae.

CENTERS IN THE DRAFT TO KEEP AN EYE ON:

Matt Tennant: Senior, Boston College, 6-foot-4, 294 pounds. Needs to add a little bulk but could be had in the fourth round.

Joe Hawley: Senior, UNLV, 6-foot-3, 300 pounds. Played guard in his final two seasons at UNLV, but if he is drafted at all it will be as a center. Also, not the lead singer of rock band Tally Hall.