The Patriots went into Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft with a few additional picks they received from previous trades, one of which was a sixth-round swap with the Chargers when they acquired J.C. Jackson. That meant they held the 238th pick in this year's draft, but won't actually utilize it and instead traded it away.
In their effort to improve the defense in the final rounds, the Patriots traded the Chargers' former selection along with No. 146 to move up to 137 to select defensive tackle Joshua Farmer in the fifth round. That leaves New England without another fifth-round pick, as they have since acquired Nos. 182 (R6) and 228 (R7).
Despite that, they were able to get an impressive player by utilizing that pick and boosting their defense further after a noteworthy free agency filled with stellar signings. It's a great use of what they received for Jackson, especially since he wasn't able to be the player they hoped for when they initially made the trade.
The Patriots have now completed their J.C. Jackson trade by adding a standout defender to their roster
Continuing the priority on defense, Farmer was an excellent selection in the fifth round. He was widely considered to go much higher in the draft, with most draft boards slating him to be a top-100 pick, so the Patriots snagging him at 137 is an absolute steal.
He's just the latest addition to prove Eliot Wolf and Mike Vrabel are working exceedingly well together and surprising the doubters about how this year's draft will go. Given that the previous regime's efforts during the 2024 draft did not go as well as anyone hoped, there was a lot of pressure to deliver this time around, even more so now that quarterback Drake Maye is on the roster.
They have seemed to hit every needy position that wasn't entirely dealt with during free agency, with most holes on the offense being addressed to help Maye be in a better position to succeed in his second season.
The same can be said defensively, which is now just over the top with the free agents signed and the rookies drafted. The group will be exciting to watch again this year, after a tumultuous last few seasons made for a chaotic effort on the field.