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Utah offensive tackle Caleb Lomu

New England Patriots Executive Vice President of player personnel Eliot Wolf was thrilled with the organization’s opportunity to select Utah offensive tackle Caleb Lomu. The Patriots made a draft-day trade with the Buffalo Bills to select the lineman, and the move paid off. Now, Wolf is happy with the return.

The Bills ended up receiving the 31^st overall pick in the first round and the 125^th overall pick, which is in the fourth round. Buffalo did not end up making a selection in the first round. Instead, they traded down in the draft multiple times. They now hold the 34^th overall selection in the draft, which will be taken early on day two.

Patriots Were Excited About The Move

In the meantime, Wolf was thrilled about the chance to take Lomu, as he told the assembled media following the draft.

“Really excited about this player. He’s young, he’s experienced. He’s athletic. He’s a great kid…I was a little surprised that he was still available, and that’s why we, you know, decided to move up a little bit.”

Lomu played college football for Utah. He was able to elevate his profile and became a dependable lineman for the program. Lomu really came onto the scene for the unit in 2024. He started all 12 games at left tackle as a redshirt freshman. Lomu allowed only two sacks and 17 pressures on 425 pass-blocking snaps. These statistics earned him Freshman All-American honors from The Athletic.

The 2025 season saw Lomu elevate his game to another level. He started all 12 regular-season games. The lineman was proficient while doing that, 11 zero sacks and only eight pressures on 357 pass-blocking snaps. He was given First-Team All-Big 12 accolades for his efforts, and did not end up playing in the Las Vegas Bowl against Nebraska.

How Does He Fit The Patriots?

He should be able to help the Patriots in a major way. He gives the organization positional versatility, something that has been valued by the organization over the years. For instance, Lomu played 1,582 snaps at left tackle which amounted to 24 career starts. He also played 32 snaps at right tackle and served as a guard during practice.

Ideally, Lomu would be able to fit at the right tackle spot opposite Will Campbell. However, he does give the Patriots the flexibility to buy elsewhere. He measures in at six-foot-six, 313 pounds, and that size can translate to several positions.

Lomu should also serve as a promising replacement for Morgan Moses. Moses still has quite a bit left in the tank. However, at 35 years old, the Patriots could use additional depth at the position for the future. This could allow them the opportunity to continue to develop the rookie while giving Moses one or two more seasons to shine and maintain his place as the right tackle. Keeping the offensive line full of depth is a must, and Lomu fills multiple needs in that way. It will be interesting to see what he could do with a starting role, and when that transition will take place.