The New England Patriots and Mike Vrabel need to have a top 2026 offseason in Phase II of their rebuild. They'll have to if they're going to meet the challenge of the tougher schedule as the AFC East title winners. One area of paramount importance to upgrade is the offensive line. An ESPN analyst sees the team addressing the O-line with a hybrid tackle/guard at No. 31 with their first-round pick.
Spending a first-round pick on a player who may be projected to guard in the NFL is seldom a great idea. Guards are commodities that can be acquired in later rounds in the draft, e.g., from the fourth to the sixth rounds.
Recent examples by the Patriots include fourth-round pick Shaq Mason, and sixth-round picks Mike Onwenu and Ted Karras. All were top-level starters.
A better choice in the first round will be to bolster the offensive tackle position again, as they did with Will Campbell in 2025. That's not to say that the Patriots don't need guards. They need maybe two. The first round is just too high a round to select one. It can be addressed later, but not before the third or fourth rounds. There are other, more pressing needs.
ESPN's mock draft projects a tackle/guard to the Patriots at pick No. 31
Selecting a hybrid tackle/guard isn't the worst idea in the world. Having that flexibility on hand can be a lifesaver if the player is proficient enough at either position to start or fill in when required. Regardless, the Patriots' higher need is for a player clearly projected as an NFL tackle. That's where ESPN's suggestion may be flawed.
ESPN's Field Yates has the Patriots selecting a hybrid who may be too light to play tackle in his recent mock draft.
"31. New England Patriots: Caleb Lomu, OT/G, Utah The Patriots' run to the Super Bowl was impressive, but it underscored the team's need to beef up quarterback Drake Maye's protection. Lomu, who took over at left tackle for Utah in 2024 when Fano moved over to the right side, could slide in at tackle or guard for New England.
(Note: I am a firm believer that the Patriots should stay fully committed to Will Campbell at left tackle, as coach Mike Vrabel has already stated will be the case.) Lomu needs to further develop his strength, but the 6-foot-6, 304-pounder is already a solid pass protector who did not allow a single sack in 2025."
The 6'6", 308-pound Lomu didn't allow a sack in 2025 at left tackle for the Utes. That type of performance can't be overestimated. The Patriots' sieve-like O-line was a turnstile, allowing 47 regular-season and 21 more in the postseason. They capped off this dismal showing with an ugly six sacks allowed in the Super Bowl to the Seahawks, contributing mightily to that drubbing.
Caleb Lomu may fit if Vrabel projects him as an immediate starter at tackle
Caleb Lomu has a decent but not optimum size for an NFL tackle. At 308 pounds, he is on the light side for either tackle position. Yet if Vrabel thinks he's either good enough at that weight to handle the tackle or can add more weight to make the grade, then if he's available at 31, it may work out.
NFL Draft Buzz talks about Lomu's "tantalizing" potential. "The upside here is tantalizing. A left tackle with this kind of athletic foundation, who already flashes legitimate blindside protection ability, represents exactly the kind of developmental bet that pays off in a big way." If he is adjudged to indeed be capable of being an NFL left tackle, then he can certainly be groomed to replace the soon-to-be 35-year-old right tackle, Morgan Moses, either this season or next.
It's up to Mike Vrabel to put in enough time on a player like Lomu to be able to determine if he can make the grade as an NFL tackle. Certainly, not giving up any sacks in 2025 while playing in the Big 12 Conference is a solid endorsement of his future tackle potential if everything else adds up.
Meanwhile, Lomu could start at guard while he's being groomed to replace Moses if that's the plan. Vrabel has to fill the tackle position this offseason as part of his continuing rebuild. He needs a high-level talent who can either start immediately or be a quality depth player.
We'll see whether he thinks Caleb Lomu is the right guy at pick No. 31, or if a bigger tackle prospect makes more sense.