INDIANAPOLIS -- It’s almost impossible to separate Manti Te’o the football player from Manti Te’o the pop-culture punchline. But let’s think for a minute about Te’o as a prospect -- specifically, if he were still on the board when the Patriots were on the clock this spring, would they consider the controversial linebacker?

You can draw some connections between Te’o and New England -- regardless of the off-field sideshow (much of it by his own design) that’s followed him over the last few months, the 6-foot-2, 255-pounder is regarded as an overachiever who flourished at the college level. By all accounts, he has a high football IQ, and while there’s the practical question about whether he would be around when the Patriots pick at No. 29, on Saturday afternoon at the combine, he gave the sort of answer the folks in Foxboro would love to hear when asked for a self-scouting report.

“I think what I bring to the table is a lot of heart, a lot of energy and somebody that works hard. Somebody who hates to lose,” said Te’o, who was slotted at No. 21 to the Bengals in DJ Bean’s first mock draft of the year for WEEI.com. “I always said I hate losing more than I love to win.”

On Saturday at the combine -- among the myriad of catfishing, dating and other off-field questions he dealt with in a 14-minute session with the national media -- the linebacker talked about some of the challenges that await him when he gets to the next level.

“As a player, the game gets even more faster, a lot more complex,” Te’o said. “I think what I have to do as a player is I have to remember that it’s still the same game I played when I was a little kid, the football is still the same shape; obviously the people are going to be professionals, this is where the best play; but as long as I don’t stray too far from who I am, I believe the journey will be worth it.”

As for how all of this relates to the Patriots, Bill Belichick has always put a premium on football IQ, and it’s clear he’s a smart guy. In addition, Te’o does have some positional versatility: He started on the outside at Notre Dame before kicking inside. While there’s some question as to whether or not the rise in his on-field stock is due in part to a Notre Dame-driven hype, there’s a general consensus that wherever he ends up, that team will be landing a player who will be able to at least contribute at the next level.

In New England, between Jerod Mayo, Brandon Spikes, Dane Fletcher, Tracy White and Niko Koutouvides -- as well as depth guys like Jeff Tarpinian who have been on and off the roster the last few seasons -- the Patriots have relatively good depth at the inside/middle linebacker position. This isn’t necessarily a team that’s looking for a linebacker, at least on the first day of the draft. (If he falls, he would present an intriguing possibility for New England, which also has picks at No. 59 and No. 91 overall.)

At the same time, there is a need for a nickel linebacker who can work in sub-packages. Fletcher went down with a season-ending knee injury in August, and the one area where the Patriots really missed him last season was working as a pass defender -- they tried a handful of guys at that spot, including veteran Bobby Carpenter, but no one was able to stick. While Brandon Spikes made great gains in pass defense last season (surprisingly, he came away with seven passes defensed), the Patriots really didn’t have a dependable presence at linebacker when it came to stopping the pass.

Te’o would be able to fill the role of third-down linebacker in New England if Fletcher cannot go. (For comparisons sake, Te’o and Fletcher have a similar build: The Notre Damer is a 6-foot-2, 255-pounder who runs well, while Fletcher is a 6-foot-2, 245-pounder.) Te’o is regarded as good against the run, but excellent when it comes to pass defense -- he had seven picks last season for Notre Dame and four passes defensed. According to many who have watched extensive film on him, he’s demonstrated an ability to play with discipline and focus, and not overrun plays. In addition, while he’s not going to be matched up in single coverage against wide receivers, he has shown an ability to work successfully against tight ends and running backs in space.

Of course, you can’t discuss Te’o without discussing the baggage that will inevitably be bringing to the NFL. Whoever ends up taking him is going to be in for a sideshow that could amount to a colossal distraction. All you need to do is look at how the Tim Tebow situation managed to discombobulate the Jets this season -- there was almost as much talk about the backup quarterback as there was about the starter. (Of course, Tebow didn’t help matters by feeding into the hype, holding press conferences in the New York locker room after games ... when he didn’t play.)

To minimize distractions when he reaches the NFL, Te’o has to be managed and protected, something they’ve done quite well with rookies in New England. The Patriots have never been afraid of selecting guys who arrive in the NFL with a backstory, particularly when it comes to the draft: In 2010, Jermaine Cunningham and Spikes both arrived with plenty of questions. The last two years, Ryan Mallett was a third-round pick because of character concerns, and last year, Alfonzo Dennard tumbled all the way to the seventh round because of an April fight with a police officer. In every case, New England and Belichick were able to successfully shield them from the media -- eventually, their off-field troubles effectively became non-stories.

While inside linebacker isn’t necessarily a pressing need for New England, it’s important to remember that the Patriots have never followed a simple blueprint when it comes to approaching the draft. Manti Te’o in New England? It’s certainly no crazier, than say, a fake girlfriend.