When the NFL combine gets underway this week in Indianapolis, the Patriots be able to pare down most of this list to the guys they’ll really be keeping an eye on — linebackers and defensive backs.

Barring a trade between now and the draft, the Patriots will have the 23rd overall selection, as well as a pair of second-round picks (47th and 58th overall). While New England is unlikely to focus on linebackers who are almost assured of going in the top half of the first round (Aaron Curry of Wake Forest and Brian Orakpo of Texas, the latter of whom will likely make an easy transition from down lineman to outside linebacker), there are plenty of linebackers who could continue to dispel the long-held myth — shattered by Jerod Mayo last season — that New England’s defensive schemes are too intricate for a rookie linebacker to master.

The same is true in the secondary. Scratch guys like cornerback Malcolm Jenkins of Ohio State, who will almost certainly be take in the top half of the first round. But while the draft isn’t as deep at defensive back as it is at linebacker, there are some players who could add some depth at both corner and safety that should be available to the Patriots.

Here’s our list of players who will likely be getting some extra attention from New England coach Bill Belichick and the rest of the Patriots’ braintrust this week in Indy.

1. Linebacker Clay Matthews, Jr. The intangibles here are off the charts: Belichick gets all misty-eyed when talking about the Matthews family, particularly linebacker Clay Matthews, Sr., who he coached in Cleveland. Last year, Belichick called himself “lucky” to have had the chance to coach the elder Matthews, who played 19 years in the NFL, and was a linebacker with Belichick and the Browns in their 3-4 scheme. Belichick loves players who grew up in the culture of football, and Matthews has a father, uncle and grandfather who all played the game. He’s also got a real underdog factor working for him — he went from walk-on to star at USC — which should endear him to casual football fans. While the off-field intangibles are all great, what about the on-field product? With New England looking for linebacker depth and the 6-foot-3, 246-pound Matthews expected to be available to No. 23, the two would appear to be a good fit. His versatility — he played all three linebacker positions in USC’s 4-3 defense — should make him attractive. The best possible scenario might be that Matthews, a former safety, would follow the same route as Brian Urlacher, another late-blooming safety who blossomed in the pros as a linebacker. Right now, Matthews projects to be a late first-round pick, but a standout performance at the combine could launch him into the upper reaches of the first round and out of New England’s range.

2. Linebacker James Laurinaitis. This 6-foot-2, 240-pound linebacker out of Ohio State is reportedly more Mike Vrabel than Andy Katzenmoyer, which should please New England fans. He was a three-time AP All-American, the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2007 and 2008, and more than one NFL personnel man says he’s the best bet among the linebackers to make the smoothest transition from college to the professional ranks. He’s probably a reach right now for New England and its 23rd overall pick, and a great combine would likely make it impossible for the Patriots to land him. He’s slightly undersized, in a Tedy Bruschi-mold (Bruschi is 6-foot-1, 240 lbs.), and so there are some question marks about his ability to take on NFL offensive linemen at the point of attack. But overall, he would appear to be a nice fit for New England — Laurinaitis would likely work as an inside linebacker in the Patriots’ 3-4 defensive scheme. A combination of Mayo and Laurinaitis on the inside would create a terrific combination for New England for the foreseeable future.

3. Cornerback Alphonso Smith. A product of Wake Forest who would be the first-ever Alphonso drafted in the history of the franchise if the Patriots take him, Smith is one of several CBs that could be on the board at No. 23. He has above average speed, and was considered one of the premier playmakers in the college game last season with eight interceptions. In addition, his background on special teams should make him appealing to New England. At a shade under 5-foot-9, he certainly fits the mold of the undersized corners the Patriots have gone after the last five years (Ellis Hobbs, Asante Samuel, Terrence Wheatley). But a lot of what they do with the 23rd pick is going to depend on how comfortable they feel with cornerback Terrence Wheatley. Wheatley was impressive in an abbreviated rookie year — if they feel he can build on that performance in 2009, there’s a good chance they look elsewhere. That’s not to say they’d pass on a good corner — they would simply look to take a corner with one of their two second-round picks or even their third-round selection rather than using their first-round choice on a DB.

4. Safety Rashad Johnson. One of the top safeties in this year’s draft, Johnson might be a bit of a reach at No. 23 — he might be a better fit with one of the two second-round picks New England has. But the 6-foot, 187-pounder is universally accorded as a playmaker — 11 interceptions the last two seasons — and the New England secondary has struggled to force turnovers the last few years. Johnson has several things in his favor, not the least of which he’s been coached in college by Belichick protégé Nick Saban, and Belichick has shown a tendency to go after guys who come out of programs run by his guys. Those picks can sometimes be seen as a reach, but occasionally, they’ll turn into Pro Bowlers. (Logan Mankins is the best example.) Brandon Meriweather made major strides last season, but the safety spot looks awful thin once you get past him and James Sanders. The addition of Johnson would certainly change that.

5. Linebacker Clint Sintim. Sintim is another guy who might be a reach in the first round, but someone who could turn into a second-round steal. Because he’s a player who was coached by a Belichick guy in college — Al Groh — the transition from Virigina to Foxborough might be made easier, because Sintim hails from one of the few programs that runs a 3-4 scheme that’s similar to the Patriots. An outside linebacker, the choice here may be similar to the choice the Patriots have at corner — just as if the Patriots feel good about Wheatley, they might look elsewhere other than corner with their first-round pick. If New England feels good about pass-rushing outside linebacker Shawn Crable — who was drafted last season, but went on injured reserve with a shin injury on Nov. 5 —they might not be looking for a pass-rushing linebacker who some believe might be a reach at No. 23. But there are no denying Sintim’s pass-rushing skills on the outside in the 3-4. An intriguing possibility, but likely a second-rounder at this point.

Christopher Price covers the Patriots for WEEI.com.