The New England Patriots traded inside the division with the Buffalo Bills to take the No. 28 overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft – with New England then selecting offensive tackle Caleb Lomu.
The Patriots now have nine selections remaining in the 2026 Draft – including the upcoming No. 63 overall selection in the second round. Prior to Howell’s selection, quarterback Fernando Mendoza was taken at No. 1 overall for the Las Vegas Raiders. David Bailey from Texas Tech was the No. 2 overall selection, followed by Jeremiyah Love at No. 3, Carnell Tate with the No. 4 overall selection out of Ohio State, and finally linebacker Arvell Reese who rounded out the top five picks.
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Lomu is 6’6″, weighing 313 pounds and coming from the University of Utah. In 2025, he started at left tackle in all 12 regular-season games in 2025 and was an All-Big 12 First Team selection.
Taking Lomu makes sense, it was well-reported that the Patriots were looking to bolster their offensive line efforts in the 2026 Draft, and taking an offensive lineman in the first-round is representative of that fact.
Patriots Bolster Offensive Line Efforts with Caleb Lomu First-Round Selection
This selection comes after Patriots’ quarterback Drake Maye was sacked a total of six times in New England’s 29-13 Super Bowl LX loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
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Lomu will join former rookie left tackle Will Campbell on the Pats’ depth chart, in addition to Morgan Moses and others.
Though, it is important to reference that as a redshirt sophomore and at only 21, Lomu is still in the early stages of his development – both physically and technically – but displays solid movement skills with a natural feel as a pass protector that will likely track toward becoming a reputable NFL tackle.
Nov 28, 2025; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Utah Utes offensive lineman Caleb Lomu (71) gets ready before the snap during the second half against the Kansas Jayhawks at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
In his NFL Combine, Lomu recorded a 4.99 40-yard dash and a 1.74 10-yard split. The Arizona native also had a 32.5″ vertical jump and a 9’5″ broad jump.
He was also chosen as a 2024 Midseason Freshman All-American by The Athletic and listed as a preseason All-Big 12 selection.
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The Athletic analyst Dane Brugler previously ranked Lomu as the fifth-best offensive tackle in the current class, assigning him a draft grade ranging from the first to the second round. This is likely due to his foot quickness and fluid movements in resetting his hands and hips to get into his anchor.
The 2026 NFL Draft for the Patriots continues at 7 p.m. EST on April 24 and noon EST on April 25 on ESPN, ABC and the NFL Network.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/patriots/onsi as Patriots Trade Up To Grab Newest Draft Pick Caleb Lomu At 28th Overall.