New England’s 11th selection in 2025, Minor is the Pats’ second pick to address the secondary, alongside safety Craig Woodson. He’ll compete with the likes of Alex Austin, Marcellas Dial, Isaiah Bolden, Miles Battle and DJ James for a roster spot over the next several months.

The Patriots weren’t always slated to pick at No. 257. The Kansas City Chiefs initially held the final selection in this year’s draft, but they traded it to New England for the No. 228 overall pick, which the team used to take SMU running back Brashard Smith.

As part of the trade, the Pats moved into the final draft slot. They also received the No. 251 overall pick, which they notably used on Vanderbilt long snapper Julian Ashby, the only player at his position drafted this year (and first drafted since 2021). NFL Network Insider Mike Garafolo reported that there was expected to be a bidding war for Ashby as an undrafted free agent, which explains New England’s unwillingness to wait until that stage — or even the final pick — to get him in the fold.

Six picks later, the Pats then pounced on the DB.

The 50th Mr. Irrelevant since the moniker’s inception in 1976, Kobee must now get to work to ensure his NFL impact is anything but minor.