Patriots sign 2025 NFL Draft’s final pick to active roster

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Patriots sign 2025 NFL Draft’s final pick to active roster

Mark Daniels · MassLive

Thu, Jan 1, 2026 ·

2 min read

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FOXBOROUGH – All season long, Kobee Minor has competed with the best receivers on the Patriots roster.

While on the practice squad, the rookie cornerback played a big role on the scout team, otherwise known as ‘the dirty show.’ It’s where players imitate the opposing team’s scheme to prepare the Patriots starters for their upcoming matchup.

This season, Patriots coaches were impressed with Minor, who was the last pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and his ability to compete in practice. That’s one reason why the team signed the seventh-round pick off their practice squad and to the 53-man roster on Thursday.

“Kobee works his tail off. An extreme competitor,” Patriots defensive play-caller Zak Kuhr said. “When he’s on the dirty show, the dirty defense, giving a look, he’s competing. He’s competing with everybody out there – Mack, Diggs . He’s not backing down. He brings a physical style to the corner position, and he’s just gotten better throughout the year, throughout the weeks. I think it’s well deserved.”

After signing Minor, the Patriots finish the season with their entire 11-man draft class on the roster.

Minor played in college at Texas Tech, Indiana, and Memphis before the Patriots drafted him with pick 257 in the seventh round. Being the final pick, Minor became 2025’s Mr. Irrelevant.

This season, the Patriots were impressed with the rookie enough to elevate him to the game-day roster three times. That’s the maximum number of elevations allowed for a player, so if the Patriots wanted to use Minor again, they’d have to sign him, and that’s what happened on Thursday.

In three games, he’s contributed on special teams and provided depth at cornerback. Minor is the fifth cornerback on the Patriots roster behind Christian Gonzalez , Carlton Davis , Marcus Jones , and Charles Woods .

On Thursday, the Patriots also signed veteran center Brenden Jaimes and cornerback Myles Battles to the practice squad.

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