Patriots draft pick already being overshadowed by fellow rookies

After heavily prioritizing the defense in free agency, the New England Patriots made sure to add to their offense to start the 2025 NFL Draft in April.

The Pats used their first four picks on Will Campbell (offensive tackle), TreVeyon Henderson (running back), Kyle Williams (wide receiver), and Jared Wilson (center). They didn’t take their first defensive player until the fourth round (Craig Woodson – safety).

While all those offensive rookies are garnering a ton of attention in OTAs and minicamp, and rightfully so, Patriots fans should not overlook fellow fourth-round pick Joshua Farmer. 

Joshua Farmer Is Going Under the Radar During Patriots Offseason

The 6-foot-3, 305-pound rookie defensive tackle is coming off two solid years at Florida State. Farmer spent all four years with the Seminoles, but had a tremendous final two seasons, which likely helped him get on NFL teams' radars.

He had 64 combined tackles, 15 tackles for loss, nine sacks, two pass breakups, and a forced fumble. For his performance on the field, Farmer was named second-team All-ACC in 2023 and honorable mention in 2024.

Farmer is joining a loaded Patriots’ front seven that features Milton Williams, Keion White, Harold Landry III, and Christian Barmore. Those guys will get the majority of the snaps in the regular season.

However, the rookie defensive tackle has a chance to emerge as an instant contributor during the 18-game regular season.

Evan Lazar of Patriots.com pointed out in his minicamp write-up that Farmer’s length stood out as he batted some passes down. Lazar also said after OTAs that the rookie flashed more as he got another batted pass and was able to get some push inside when used as a pass rusher.

If you are a Patriots fan, you have to be excited about the different ways that head coach Mike Vrabel and defensive coordinator Terrell Williams could use Farmer. New England fans won’t have to wait much longer as training camp is around the corner, followed by the preseason, which will be a good test for the entire Pats’ rookie class.