Expert Praises Value of One Notable Patriots Draft Pick

When stacking up some of the most productive and standout classes of incoming prospects throughout the league in the 2025 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots have continued to emerge toward the top of the list in various conversations.

Thanks to their efforts of beefing up the offensive side of the ball for budding quarterback Drake Maye, along with a few intriguing additions on the defensive end, the Patriots have received no shortage of commendation for how they approached their 11 picks up and down the board.

However, when stacking up the Patriots' selections from rounds one through seven in terms of value, there might be one name in the bunch of New England prospects that rises to the top as their best in the class.

The Athletic's Chad Graff listed a ton of appealing choices for the nod, but ultimately gave the title to one: Florida State defensive tackle Joshua Farmer.

"You could argue for third-round pick Kyle Williams, given the need he fills as a deep-threat wide receiver. Or Bradyn Swinson, who was viewed as a third-round pick, though the Pats landed him in the fifth. And you could make a case for Jared Wilson, an athletic interior lineman who plays a variety of positions. But I’m going with Farmer. Brugler had Farmer as his 77th-ranked prospect, and the Pats landed him with the 137th pick. He fills an important role, adding size and run-stopping ability to the defensive line."

Early on in the Patriots' draft motions this year, it was heavily offensive-focused through days one and two. Offensive line and weapons for Maye remained the center focus of this New England brass, but with their first defensive selection of the board, Farmer could emerge with a major role in this front seven despite being the 137th-overall pick.

Farmer will be another valuable addition into a Patriots front seven that desperately needed talent across last season, and could now be primed to line up next to free agent signing Milton Williams in that interior front in due time.

During his final season at Florida State, Farmer started all 12 games he suited up in for the Seminoles to post 32 tackles, eight TFLs, and four sacks, ultimately landing a spot as an All-ACC Honorable Mention at the end of the 2024-25 season.

At 6-foot-3, 300-plus pounds, he's got nice NFL size and strength to soon become a physical force on New England's front with the right development, all for the investment of a fourth-round pick. Time will tell if the Patriots' fourth-rounder will truly end up as a major win, but on paper, it appears that way.