MKRob Sports

The Patriots will host Tennessee tailback Montario Hardesty on Wednesday, one of 30 in-house visits slated to each team by the league.

The 5-foot-11, 225-pound Hardesty has been a late riser at the tailback position, and certainly helped his cause by posting a 4.49 in the 40-yard dash.

In his first three years in Knoxville, he failed to crack even 400 yards playing behind Arian Foster (you might remember him from the Patriots’ season finale), but broke out for 1,345 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior. He also had 25 catches for 302 yards and another score last fall.

Hardesty came on strong late, with 350 yards and four touchdowns in the Vols’ final two regular season games. He’s seen by most as second- or third-round prospect, so he could be on New England’s radar in the middle of the second round.