Is Farmer a hidden gem in a deep defensive line class?
It’s difficult to overstate just how deep and talented the defensive line class is in the 2025 NFL Draft.
There will be players drafted on the second day who would likely be first round talents in almost any other year. That’s leading to some very promising prospects slipping between the cracks.
Florida State defensive tackle Joshua Farmer has good size and play strength, very good quickness, and very long arms. In short, he has many of the traits that scouts and coaches look for and is a high-upside player. The New York Giants have one of the best defensive line coaches in the NFL, so could Farmer be a great value pick for them?
Prospect: Joshua Farmer (5)
Games Watched: vs. Georgia Tech (2024), vs. Boston College (2024), vs. California (2024), vs. Florida (2024)
Measurables
Height: 6-foot 2 7/8 inches
Weight: 314 pounds
Arm length: 35 1⁄4 inches
Hand size: 10 1⁄2 inches
Strengths
Best traits
- Length
- Initial quickness
- Agility
- Play strength
- Competitive toughness
Joshua Farmer is an intriguing defensive tackle prospect who combines good size at 6-foot-3, 314 pounds with long arms, good initial quickness and agility, and plenty of play strength.
Farmer played out several alignments for the Florida State defense, though he was most frequently a B-gap defender. Interestingly, he was used as an edge defender on occasion, effectively playing the role from a 5-technique defensive end position or looping from a 3-technique out to a 7-technique alignment on a stunt. He showed impressive lower body fluidity when playing against offensive tackles.
He has very good initial quickness and is able to gain good ground when attacking into the backfield as a one-gap penetrator. Farmer is able to fire out of his stance low and hard, maximizing his leverage and length, making him a handful for opposing blockers. He also flashes some technical savvy by pairing a strong bull rush with a quick arm-over move as a counter.
Farmer is a disciplined defender who accurately diagnoses the play and seldom takes himself out of position. He has enough play strength to drive individual blockers back or hold up double-teams when he maintains good pad level. He also does a good job of maintaining the integrity of the run defense and is quick to disengage to drop into coverage or pursuit if he reads a screen pass or checkdown.
Weaknesses
Worst traits
- Snap timing
- Hand usage
- Long speed
Farmer’s greatest weakness is a need for greater consistency throughout his game.
As things stand now, he doesn’t time the snap well and often seems to be guessing. That can lead to him being the first player moving, or the last player moving, and that can vary from one play to the next. He also needs to play with consistently great leverage to maximize the advantages given to him by his initial quickness, length, and play strength. There are too many plays where Farmer simply pops upright at the snap of the ball, sacrificing his leverage immediately.
Finally, he needs to become more consistent and efficient with his hand usage. Farmer’s best reps come when he accurately places his hands on blockers’ chest plates, or uses his hands to attack blockers’ hands and prevent them from locking in. While that improved over his senior season, there are still plays where Farmer seems to flail at blockers instead of using solid and efficient technique to unlock his athletic upside.
Game Tape
(Farmer is the Florida State defensive tackle wearing number 5 and a sleeve on his left arm)
Projection
Joshua Farmer projects as an important rotational defensive tackle who could grow into a starter with development.
Farmer flashes the potential to be a dominant defender thanks to his initial quickness, surprising agility, good play strength, and long arms. There are instances where he’s all but unblockable and highly disruptive when shooting gaps. However, those are also only flashes at this point in his development. Farmer will need to land in an environment that can foster his growth to hit his ceiling, but his upside is impressive.
He’ll have the best chance at reaching it if he lands on a team with a good defensive line coach to develop his technique, a one-gap scheme to allow him to play to his strengths, and if he isn’t forced to be an every-down player right away.
Does he fit the Giants?
Yes
Final Word: A Day 2 value
