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The New England Patriots made Utah offensive tackle Caleb Lomu the 28th pick of the first round in the 2026 NFL Draft. He was the seventh offensive tackle taken.

Like his Utah tackle counterpart Spencer Fano, Lomu was healthy his entire collegiate career, which played a major role in the Utes’ success offensively. The 6-foot-6, 313-pound left tackle is just 21, and after redshirting his freshman year at Utah in 2023, he started all 12 regular-season games over the past two seasons. After earning freshman All-America honors in 2024, Lomu was voted first-team All-Big Ten in 2025 and was vital to Utah’s sustained success on the ground.

Though he’s still developing physically, Lomu routinely showed off his mobility in the run game by getting out on the move to catch up to and take on defensive backs and linebackers. That athleticism at his size should allow teams to take a hard look at what the finished product could be one day.

‘The Beast’ breakdown

Lomu ranked No. 25 in Dane Brugler’s top 300 big board. Here’s what Brugler had to say about him in his annual NFL Draft guide:

“Lomu must get stronger and continue to develop his technique and grit, but NFL teams are understandably intrigued by his movement ability and ready-to-cultivate left tackle skill set. His upside points to him becoming an NFL starter.”

Coaching intel

What an anonymous coach had to say about Lomu in Bruce Feldman’s mock draft:

“He reminded me of (Patriots top-five pick) Will Campbell a little in terms of people are super high on him as a tackle, but I’m not sure if he translates to tackle in the NFL. I thought he was more of a guard. He’s good, but I don’t think he was as good an athlete as Fano is. I wondered about Lomu’s feet and his quickness.” — An opposing defensive line coach

Nick Baumgardner grades the pick

Grade: A-

Really good value here. I had Lomu as being even with Blake Miller and Max Iheanachor (maybe even a tick higher than Iheanachor), as Lomu should be ready to start at right tackle opposite Campbell. This gives the Patriots two very athletic tackles who are plus run blockers.

Lomu isn’t a flashy player, but he gets the job done. He’s very versatile; he could play right or left tackle and maybe even guard. The San Francisco 49ers also might’ve been looking for a tackle here, so I don’t hate the trade-up. Nice pick.

Austin Mock’s assessment

I really like this pick for New England. Lomu is ranked 25th on the consensus board, and after struggling against quality defenses last year, the Patriots continue to bolster their offensive line after grabbing Alijah Vera-Tucker this offseason. Protecting Drake Maye is vital to their success, and a strong offensive line is the best way to do that.

How he fits

This move is all about the long-term plan. A year after the Patriots used the No. 4 pick on Campbell, they now hope they have their other offensive tackle to protect Maye for years to come. Maye was under pressure throughout the playoffs and especially in the Super Bowl. So the goal this offseason was clear: get better on the offensive line. After signing Vera-Tucker in free agency to play left guard, they’ve landed a player they hope will be their long-term right tackle.

Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf said even though Lomu played left tackle in college, they’re confident his athletic ability will allow him to move to the right side.

Depth-chart impact

This is where things get interesting. There’s a chance Lomu won’t play at all in 2026 if Morgan Moses and Campbell stay healthy. Lomu will likely start as the swing tackle.

But he’s insurance in case Moses, 35, struggles or suffers an injury. And even if Lomu doesn’t play, the idea is to have him develop and be ready to take over for Moses next season.

They also could have picked …

Lomu was the last of the top tier of offensive tackles, so there weren’t many options there. The other possibilities would’ve been at edge rusher. The Patriots could have taken Texas A&M’s Cashius Howell or Keldric Faulk. Or they could have gone with defensive tackle Peter Woods from Clemson.

But all things considered, it’s hard to fault them for picking a premium position that’s intended to help keep Maye upright.

Fast evaluation

The Patriots have used back-to-back first-round picks on athletic offensive tackles. After watching Maye struggle under constant pressure in the Super Bowl, the focus was clear: to get better up front. Questions will remain about the Patriots’ ability to rush the passer, but they’re setting up their offense for the future with this move.