New England Patriots
The Patriots took an offensive tackle in the first round for the second straight year.
Caleb Lomu during the NFL rookie combine earlier in 2026. AP Photo/Michael Conroy
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The Patriots traded up to get Utah offensive tackle Caleb Lomu Thursday night in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, investing in a developmental player who could help protect Drake Maye down the road.
He was one of two offensive tackles from Utah taken in the first round, along with Spencer Fano, who went No. 9 to the Browns.
It’s the second year in a row that the Patriots have taken an offensive tackle in the first round after selecting Will Campbell last year.
Lomu is a long, athletic tackle whom the Patriots praised for his versatility. It could come in handy as New England plans out the future of it’s offensive line.
Here are five things to know about the Patriots’ latest first-round pick:
He primarily played left tackle at Utah, but may be in for a position switch
Lomu started all 12 games at left tackle for Utah last season and didn’t allow a sack. Utah stuck with him on the left side, and Fano on the right side.
Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf said Thursday night that Campbell will remain at left tackle. Campbell struggled in the postseason after recovering from an MCL sprain and there had been speculation that he might one day move to guard because of his arm length. So far, Wolf and coach Mike Vrabel have both said Campbell will stay where he is at.
On the right side, the Patriots have Morgan Moses who started all 17 regular season games last year, and is now 35 years old.
Wolf said he doesn’t expect either side to be a problem for Lomu, given his length and athleticism.
“He’s still 21 years old, played mostly on the left side,” Wolf said. “But we feel like he has the athletic ability and talent to — obviously has to come in and earn a role somewhere, but he has the athletic ability, talent, strength and upside to kind of play anywhere on the line. And again, we’re just really thrilled. Big athletes like this are hard to come by, especially later in the first round like this.”
Length and athleticism are plusses. His strength? Not so much.
He’s 6-feet-6 inches, 308 pounds, and his arm length is considered a plus.
NFL.com projected him as an eventual “plus-starter.” His athleticism is a big reason why. He ran a 4.99 40-yard dash and has a 32.5 inch vertical leap, both of which are top-10 among offensive linemen.
But there is still room for the 21-year-old to put on muscle and get stronger, which will be key at the NFL level.
“Lomu must get stronger and continue to develop his technique and grit,” The Atheltic’s Dane Brugler wrote. “But NFL teams are understandably intrigued by his movement ability and ready-to-cultivate left tackle skillset. His upside points to him becoming an NFL starter.”
The Patriots canceled his top-30 visit, and were surprised that he was available.
Wolf said part of the reason that the Patriots traded up for Lomu is that they were surprised he was still available at No. 28.
New England had canceled his top-30 visit, but that didn’t stop them from picking him.
“I wasn’t shocked by that or thought differently. I had a really good visit with them at the Combine,” Lomu said of the Patriots. “I think maybe it was just to check my medical, but I had a clean medical. So it didn’t throw me by surprise. I always thought they were still in the mix, and of course they were. But I’m very happy they were still in the mix and still wanted me.”
Mike Vrabel made a strong first impression on him.
Lomu said his interview with the Patriots at the combine was initially nerve-wracking, but ultimately turned into something he loved.
Coach Mike Vrabel made a strong first impression on the young offensive tackle.
“I loved him. I walked in there, and he was definitely playing his role,” Lomu said. “He was kind of mean-mugging a little bit. So I walked in there, and that made me a little intimidated. He just started asking questions, you know?”
“He knew he was a tough guy in there, so I walked in, he started asking me questions, was getting on me a little bit, and it was awesome. Then right after, it was all smiles. He came up to me, shook my hand, said, ‘Really good job,’ and I just walked out. It’s just speed dating at the Combine, but I loved it. He was a very serious guy, and he’s an amazing coach. I can’t wait to be able to play for him.”
He was connected to the latest example in a trend of teams trading out of pick No. 31.
The Patriots’ trade with the Bills makes it ten times out of the last 15 years that pick No. 31 has been traded. New England sent No. 31 and a fourth-round pick to Buffalo to move up and take Lomu.
It was one of several first-round trades. Two of the final three picks Thursday night were traded.
The Patriots took running back Sony Michel last time the had No. 31 in 2018.
Khari A. Thompson
Khari Thompson covers professional sports for Boston.com. Before joining the team in 2022, Khari covered college football for The Clarion Ledger in Jackson, Miss.
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