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Mel Kiper, Chris Mortensen and Keyshawn Johnson broadcast for ESPN.

The NFL draft kicks off on Thursday, and experts are putting in their final mock drafts ahead of Thursday night’s festivities. ESPN’s field Yates and Mel Kiper Jr. put together their final selections, and they have the New England Patriots selecting Utah offensive tackle Caleb Lomu with the 31^st overall pick.

Lomu would undoubtedly add depth to the Patriots’ offensive line as they continue to develop the position. The Patriots’ offensive line showed improvement last season. Momo would allow the organization to take the next step at the position.

It appears that the experts think that way as well, and here’s what Kiper and Yates had to say in their mock draft.

The Patriots’ offensive line needs to be fortified, as quarterback Drake Maye took 21 sacks in the playoffs (15 more than any other QB in the postseason). Lomu would be a versatile player for coordinator Josh McDaniel. He did not give up a sack in 2025, though he must continue to build out his core strength at the NFL level.

Patriots Prospect Has Stellar College Accoladrd

Lomu had a strong 2025 season. He allowed zero sacks and only eight pressures on 383 pass-locking snaps. He was named an All-Big 12 First-Team selection in Utah’s first season in the conference. Lomu was also named a semifinalist for the Outland Trophy, and was featured on the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year watch list.

Stellar offensive line play was a hallmark of Utah’s game. They won the Joe Moore Award, given to the nation’s best offensive line. They were also named to the Midseason Honor Roll for the nation’s best unit. Loma was a big part of that success itself.

Lomu Makes Sense For Patriots

This would not be a bad pick for the Patriots at all. He would give them a tackle option for the future. Morgan Moses was a dependable tackle for the organization. However, age is a factor. Moses is 35 years old, and the Patriots need additional tackle depth for the future. The Patriots currently do not have an assigned backup to Moses, which further hammers home the need that the patriots have at the position.

Lomu would not only give the Patriots a key piece at the tackle position, but he would also give them a ready-made player. This could help in the development process moving forward. Offensive line coach Doug Marrone helped improve the unit at a high level last season, and Lomu’s potential work with Marrone could pay off as well.

The Patriots undoubtedly have a lot of needs heading into Thursday’s draft. They have scheduled several top-30 visits and met with many prospects. The Patriots’ offensive line still struggled last season despite the improvement. They surrendered a total of 48 sacks, which averaged out to around 2.82 sacks allowed per game. To be fair, this number was down from the 52 sacks they allowed in 2024. Even still, there was room for improvement.

The Patriots may have a chance to continue building the offensive line on Thursday, and Lomu could be a step in the right direction. It will be interesting to see what direction they take. The organization has been trying to find the winning combination in the offensive line; it appears that they are not done trying to fully stabilize the situation. Protecting the quarterback is important, and the Patriots would be wise to try to go that route once again.