Every year we do this dance. The thing that is important to remember is that the Patriots (and every other NFL team) keep track of every other player in the league. So whether it’s a potential opponent or a potential free agent a few years down the road, it’s all due diligence.
I think the fact that Belichick genuinely loves football and football players is another thing to consider. He wants to see these guys up close and I believe he has a particular infatuation with players who are uniquely talented, even if he probably won’t be able to draft them.
Just don’t put too much value in who visits or works out for them. There’s little-to-no correlation with who they actually have on their draft board.