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In the last 30 years, no team has been better at consistently digging up diamonds in the rough than the New England Patriots. Amid an offseason full of change, the Patriots believe they have found a few more hidden gems on their 2025 offseason roster.
The Patriots' 2025 season will begin a new era for the second consecutive year. Jerod Mayo, Bill Belichick's initial successor, lasted just one year on the job before getting terminated. The organization subsequently turned to Mike Vrabel, who returns to coaching from a semi-hiatus following his firing from the Tennessee Titans.
Since accepting the job, Vrabel has already begun the transitional process. The Patriots signed several of his former players in free agency, including linebackers Harold Landry III and Jack Gibbens. Stefon Diggs, Robert Spillane, Carlton Davis III and Joshua Dobbs also joined the team in the offseason, adding to the preseason hype.
However, even with their successful free agency period, the Patriots are still embracing a youth movement with Drake Maye at the helm. New England left the 2025 NFL Draft with a league-high 11 picks and continued the momentum with nearly two dozen undrafted rookies. The team has a lot of reconstruction ahead of it to get to the 52-man roster requirement, but several overlooked prospects are bound to have their moments.
WR Efton Chism III
Few five-year FCS products ever make waves during the NFL Draft, but Efton Chism III is a player Patriots fans are already excited about. Despite being viewed as a potential sixth or seventh-round prospect, Chism went undrafted, but did not have to wait long before signing an offseason deal with New England. With many comparing his frame and skill set to former Patriots stars Wes Welker and Julian Edelman, there could not have been many better landing spots for the Eastern Washington alum.
It took Chism a few years to find his rhythm at Eastern Washington, which is a large part of why he failed to make most teams' draft boards. However, once he did, Chism grabbed the Big Sky Conference by the throat, racking up 1,311 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns in 2024. Once the ball was in his hands, his speed and agility were almost unfair for FCS-level defenders to keep up with.
Given the stigma surrounding FCS players, Chism did not enter the Patriots' 2025 offseason with much steam behind him. It did not take long to change that narrative, as he quickly became one of the most discussed players at New England's rookie minicamp, before maintaining that momentum in OTAs. Most of Chism's work has come with Dobbs, but Vrabel has already experimented with him working with the starters in 11-on-11 sets.
Busy day from UDFA WR Efton Chism III with four catches in team drills (three from Joshua Dobbs).
Easy to see the quickness and change of direction ability from an early practice drill. pic.twitter.com/BkmHtwaviq
— Brian Hines (@iambrianhines) May 20, 2025
As good as he has been so far, there is still a lot left for Chism to even make the Patriots' final roster. He is still only 5-foot-11, and many similar players before him made waves on social media only to get cut late in the process. But if his early signs are any indication, Chism is well on his way to making the team and potentially carving out a role on special teams and as a depth receiver.
CB Kobee Minor
When the Patriots took Kobee Minor with the 257th pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, he was not happy to receive the annual “Mr. Irrelevant” label. Yet, the cornerback has been open about how much he takes the undesired label personally and hopes to use that as motivation moving forward. So far, he has stuck true to that sentiment.
A physical cornerback who excels near the line of scrimmage, Minor is a prototypical high-risk, high-reward player. He lacks the speed to keep up with NFL receivers in coverage, but his physicality and aggressiveness allow him to potentially make an impact against the run. His limitations make him more of a nickelback than outside cornerback, but that happens to fit a gaping need the Patriots have.
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Though he managed just 38 tackles in 2024, Minor accumulated seven tackles for loss. He failed to solidify himself as Memphis' top cornerback, but he visibly changed the defensive energy whenever he was on the field. Minor added two sacks, six pass breakups and two forced fumbles to his respectable stat line.
Aside from his on-field performances, injuries and consistency are issues with Minor. He spent a lot of his late career dealing with multiple lingering issues. Minor also played for three different schools in his five-year career. He began his career at Texas Tech before transferring to Indiana, and, finally, Memphis. While he started in each of his final three seasons, his lone year as a Tiger was easily his best.
With the Patriots signing Davis to pair with lockdown cornerback Christian Gonzalez, they appear set at cornerback for the time being. However, with Minor figuring to play in the slot more than on the outside, he can immediately provide depth at the position. New England has Marcus Jones projected to start at nickelback, but not much depth behind him.
OLB Elijah Ponder
No Patriots offseason roster would be complete without a former FCS star fighting for a roster spot. In 2025, that role goes to Efton Chism, but Cal Poly alum Elijah Ponder is a close second. After four years with the Mustangs, Ponder begins his professional journey as arguably the best player in school history.
A four-time Big Sky honoree, Ponder is Cal Poly's all-time leader with 44 quarterback hurries. He is also third all-time with 27 career sacks. The records do not appear impressive for an FCS program, but the Mustangs have shockingly produced 20 NFL draft picks, including two in the last 20 years.
There are certainly areas of improvement in Ponder's game, but his raw power and burst stood out, even against his level of competition. Ponder is reportedly a quick learner, a trait that will only benefit him throughout his career. The edge-rusher received Vrabel's approval during OTAs, with the coach taking time to speak with him individually after multiple live sets.
Mike Vrabel spent some time working with UDFA Elijah Ponder during today’s Patriots practice pic.twitter.com/dgQiRTIxi5
— Alex Barth (@RealAlexBarth) May 20, 2025
Ponder might not have been drafted, but he has been a player scouts showed interest in for months. After turning heads at the often overlooked East-West Shrine Bowl, opinions of him changed around the league. He is still a clear work in progress, but the Patriots are already excited to have him on their 2025 offseason roster.
