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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Danny Jaillet

Draft spot reveal from Matthew Judon trade proves Patriots won big

The New England Patriots traded Matthew Judon to the Atlanta Falcons last summer for a third-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft. Now, we know exactly what number that pick is expected to be.

With the Falcons finishing the year with an 8-9 record, the draft pick acquired by the Patriots will be the No. 77 pick overall.

That’s a solid return for the Patriots considering Judon is a pending free agent. He never extended his deal with the Falcons, and he’s still set to test the free agent market in 2025.

During his run with Atlanta, Judon only mustered 5.5 sacks on the season. He also added a pick-six and five pass deflections to his 2024 stat sheet. It wasn’t exactly the game-wrecking performance the Falcons were hoping for when forking over a top-100 draft pick for the four-time Pro Bowler.

The Patriots could use the pick to add another rookie draft pick or trade for an experienced veteran at a position of need. All options will surely be on the table as the team aims to get back to playoff contention.

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