Though it seems that draft speculation has been flying about since before the college football season even ended, things will intensify over the coming weeks with the 2007 NFL Draft less than a month away.

The annual selection spectacular — aka Mel Kiper’s Jr.’s Christmas — gets under way Saturday, April 28, and continues the next day. It has become the most anticipated draft in professional sports, in large part because many of the players picked in the early rounds will be playing come the fall; in baseball and hockey especially, it could be years before draft picks end up on pro rosters.

So who might be joining the Patriots’ roster 30 days hence? Trying to figure out who Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli will choose is about as easy as solving Rubik’s Cube blindfolded, but looking at the players the team has reportedly worked out privately on campuses and will work out at Gillette Stadium might give an indication.

Teams can bring as many as 30 players to their own facility for a private look, up from 20 a couple of years ago.

To this point, one position jumps out: linebacker. Despite signing Adalius Thomas, it is still a need position for the Patriots particularly at inside backer.

According to various reports, New England has worked out five linebackers in on-campus sessions: Florida’s Brandon Siler and Earl Everett, Rufus Alexander of Oklahoma, Florida State’s Laurence Timmons, and Nebraska’s Stewart Bradley.

Siler, 6-foot-2 and 241 pounds, projects as an inside linebacker; scouting reports say he is coachable, intelligent and adjusts quickly — all of which are positives in the Pats’ system — has impressive foot speed and can plug inside rush lanes. On the downside, he sometimes doesn’t wrap up well and doesn’t have great hands.

Everett (6-2, 234), Alexander (6-1, 227), Timmons (6-2, 232) and Bradley (6-4, 256) are considered outside linebackers. Alexander, though, is considered a great fit for cover-2 or Tampa-2 defenses — which the Pats don’t play. Bradley has played on the defensive line but would need to add some bulk to play rush end. Timmons appears to be more of a project, having started just one season, but is quick and rangy (something Belichick admires in Chicago’s Brian Urlacher). Everett is athletic and explosive, and his size and speed (he ran a 4.57 in the 40-yard dash at the Gators’ Pro Day) could mean a move to strong safety, which is also a position of need for New England. In the coming days and weeks linebackers David Harris of Michigan, Jon Beason of Miami and Purdue’s Anthony Spencer are expected to be in Foxboro. In the coming days and weeks linebackers David Harris of Michigan, Jon Beason of Miami, and Purdue’s Anthony Spencer are expected to be in Foxboro.

Harris has potential inside in the Pats’ system. After struggling to come back from a left ACL tear during the second game of his freshman season, Harris (6-2, 239) moved inside last year and led the Wolverines with 96 tackles (73 solo), 14 for losses. Labeled as a tough and aggressive run defender who reads and reacts well; one knock on him is a lack of on-field patience (one draft report says Harris at times “runs around like his hair is on fire”).

A stout 6-foot, 236 pounds, Beason struggled with injury last season yet still led the Hurricanes with 76 tackles. At Miami, he began his career as a fullback but switched to defense as a sophomore, playing both the middle and strong-side outside linebacker; the next season he switched again, to weak-side. His height, strength and smarts would help on the inside in New England’s 3-4 alignment.

Spencer — like fellow Boilermaker Rosevelt Colvin before him — played defensive end at Purdue but his speed (a 4.63 40-yard dash on campus) and agility make him a candidate to move to rush linebacker. He is drawing favorable comparisons to San Diego’s Shaun Phillips — yet another Purdue end-turned-backer — and scouts see a big improvement in his ball-recognition skills.

Though a Patriots’ scout was present at Boston College’s Pro Day, in which Brown’s Zak DeOssie participated, it is not known at this time if he has had a private workout with the team. Of course, Belichick has had several occasions to see the Bears standout first-hand. DeOssie duplicated the 40 time of 4.58 seconds that he ran at the Combine at the Pro Day; that quickness has opened eyes around the league. DeOssie has also taken a tip from his father, Steve, who was an NFL long-snapper, and is working on that skill.

The other players New England has or will take a hard look at will be reviewed over the coming days.

smanza@projo.com