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NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock and New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick talk during Pro Day Tuesday, March 3, 2015, at the Auburn Athletic Complex in Auburn, Ala. (Julie Bennett/ jbennett@al.com)

By now, two months into the NFL Draft process, Sammie Coates has seen or met his fair share of NFL scouts, coaches and general managers.

He even expected to see a few head coaches at Auburn's Pro Day on Tuesday.

But that didn't stop his heart from skipping a beat when he looked over his shoulder and realized Bill Belichick, the four-time Super Bowl champion coach of the New England Patriots, had made the trip to Auburn.

"I was like, 'Whoa, he's in Auburn,'" Coates said. "That was good to have him out here to watch us perform and I was very excited to see him back there."

Head coaches rarely show up at pro days, leaving that work to scouts and assistant coaches.

Belichick's presence was hard to miss.

The Patriots coach kept a close eye on the bench press, sat next to NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock on the first row of the bleachers at the finish line of the 40-yard dash and then took charge of the pass-catching drills, directing the kinds of routes he wanted to see Auburn's backs, receivers and tight ends run.

"When he called us up, he called tight ends up first, and he grabbed Brandon (Fulse) and I and was like, let's go," C.J. Uzomah said. "Brandon and I looked at each other like, 'Oh, it just got real.'"

Belichick's presence added another layer of pressure to a tryout that essentially serves as part of these players' resume.

"A little extra boost, a little more eyes on you," Uzomah said. "Better not mess up."

Belichick and Auburn coach Gus Malzahn didn't meet to discuss X's and O's, according to Malzahn, but Malzahn has plenty of respect for one of the most legendary coaches in NFL history.

"You know, I have a lot of respect for him," Malzahn said. "He's a cutting-edge guy and he wins, and you know, he's one of the best in the business."

Coates, in theory, could be a fit for the Patriots as an early-round pick. New England has possession options (Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola), a big-bodied red-zone type (Brandon LaFell) and one of the best tight ends in the game in Rob Gronkowski.

What New England doesn't have is a burner like Coates who can stretch a defense vertically.

"It would be a privilege to play for him," Coates said. "He's one of the top head coaches of all time. The cold weather, I could get used to. I can play anywhere."

Belichick also kept a close eye on the tight ends, backs and defensive tackles. At this point of the draft, deciphering the Patriots' intentions is impossible, but the presence of Belichick also added one more boost as the draft process hits the stage of private workouts with teams and teams addressing needs through free agency.

"He told me 'Good job,'" Coates said. "I didn't need much more than that."