The New England Patriots just signed the final pick of the 2025 NFL Draft to their 53-man roster with the promotion of Kobee Minor from the practice squad. Also known as “Mr. Irrelevant” for being the last pick in the draft, Minor reached the standard limit of already having three elevations from the practice squad this season.
In three games, Minor recorded 29 defensive snaps and 11 on special teams, totaling only one tackle. He played on defense for the first time as a DB in Week 17, after he was previously called up at the beginning of the season in Weeks 2 and 3, while seeing snaps on special teams in every game he’s played this season.
Minor checks in at 5-foot-11, 188 pounds and plays with great size. He seeks contact, initiates big hits, and makes excellent form tackles by remaining low and wrapping up the opponent's legs quickly and efficiently. This was put on display during the preseason, and it led to the Patriots signing the rookie to their practice squad.
Pats CB Kobee Minor Impressed Team Scouts & GM Ahead of 2025 Draft
After the draft, Patriots GM Eliot Wolf explained what went into selecting Minor with their final pick of the draft. Although he was the last draft selection for 2025, having his name called at No. 257 overall, Minor impressed the Patriots after they sent scouts to Memphis early in the year, which put him on New England's radar.
“Kobee is a guy that our scouts that went into Memphis this year got on early. He was a double-transfer guy. He started his career at Texas Tech and then played one year at Indiana, and then actually transferred to Memphis this year, and he transferred kind of late. So, I don’t know that he was necessarily on the radar early in the season for some people. And then he had a hamstring [injury], so he came back from it and played well. The movement skills at practice, the ability to play the football in the air, his competitiveness. We brought him in for a pre-draft visit, a 30-Visit, and he did a really nice job on that. He was just kind of a guy that we had some affinity for and Mr. Irrelevant, a pretty cool experience for him, but we were excited to be able to add him.”
In the preseason, Minor finished with 11 total tackles and two pass defenses in three games. He’s an experienced player, having played 45 games over his five-year college career in three different conferences. Targeting experienced rookies is something that head coach Mike Vrabel values highly when constructing his defense. In fact, Vrabel shared this sentiment just last week about rookie safety Craig Woodson, who played in 46 games in his five-year college career as well.
The Patriots promoted Minor to the 53-man roster after they made a series of roster moves that released cornerback Miles Battle and offensive lineman Brenden Jaimes. It’s worth noting that both Battle and Jaimes were re-signed to the practice squad after they cleared waivers in the days that followed.
As the Patriots prepare for their first playoff run in four years, depth is becoming more problematic now than it has all season on both sides of the ball. Regarding the cornerback position, the depth behind starters Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis, and Marcus Jones is thin, with only Charles Woods and Dell Pettus as the only available backup options, as Alex Austin is working his way back from injured reserve.
The Patriots have had three “Mr. Irrelevants” in their franchise history: Marty Moore (1994), Andy Stokes (2005), and Minor (2025). Moore was on the roster for the 2001 Super Bowl team, and Stokes never made an NFL roster. Minor has the chance to showcase that he can be a legitimate NFL player.
In the history of the final draft choice known as “Mr. Irrelevant”, there has only been three players to make a Pro Bowl and only three to win a Super Bowl. The most recent “Mr.Irrelevant” to see success and earn a large contract is San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy.
Minor will likely get on the field in the Patriots’ regular-season finale on special teams, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if he saw an extended run on defense against the Miami Dolphins as the playoffs are just a few weeks away. This is a great opportunity for Minor to showcase himself as a contributor in the playoffs, but also for the next season with New England.