The New England Patriots were back on the field Saturday for Day 2 of their 2026 rookie minicamp. Arguably the biggest story coming out of Foxboro was offensive tackle Caleb Lomu, the team’s No. 28 overall draft pick, playing exclusively on the left side of the line.
The majority of Patriots fans were likely expecting Lomu to get work at right tackle, as starter Morgan Moses just turned 35, and Lomu spent the past two years as the starting left tackle for the Utah Utes. Lomu appears earmarked for the Patriots’ swing tackle role to start 2026, making him the top backup to both Moses and Will Campbell. The more hands-on work he can get on the right side this spring and summer, the better.
Patriots reporter Greg Bedard of Boston Sports Journal urged fans not to read into Lomu’s minicamp snaps. New England only had three offensive tackles on the field. One of them was Dametrious Crownover, the team’s sixth-round pick out of Texas A&M.
Bedard actually said he came away impressed by how Crownover looked during a post-practice podcast interview with CLNS Media.
“Crownover is one big human being out there at right tackle,” Bedard said. “Played tight end at one point in time. You can sort of see it. He’s a good athlete. When he got up in front of the media, sort of reminded me of Jared Wilson a little bit in terms of his personality, his smarts, how well-spoken he is.”
.@GregABedard is impressed with #Patriots rookie OT Dametrious Crownover:
— Patriots on CLNS (@PatriotsCLNS) May 9, 2026
"Crownover is one big human being out there at right tackle, but looks like a good athlete."
"When he got up in front of the media, [he] reminded me of Jared Wilson a little bit in terms of his… pic.twitter.com/IsRTuGujuQ
Dametrious Crownover could be more than just a depth piece for the Patriots
It’s no wonder that Crownover’s size became an instant Patriots minicamp storyline. At the NFL Scouting Combine back in February, he measured in with a humongous wingspan of 86 inches. What Bedard just described was a 6-foot-7, 320-pound force who, like Lomu, spent his final two years in college playing on one side of the line — the right side.
Crownover is also three years older than Lomu. He spent four years at Texas A&M and will turn 25 in September. That could give him a slight edge to not only make the roster, but have his number called if the team struggles with injuries up front.
Pro Football Focus actually gave Crownover strong grades as a run blocker after he took over as the Aggies’ full-time right tackle in 2024, which speaks to the athleticism Bedard saw on the practice field Saturday. In pass protection, he only surrendered three total sacks and seven quarterback hits over his entire collegiate career. The site did, however, charge him with 27 QB pressures allowed in 2025, and those inconsistencies likely knocked Crownover into Day 3 in what was a deep draft class for offensive tackles.
After a year of fielding questions on Campbell’s suspect arm length for the position, the Patriots went out and drafted a player who draft analyst Dane Brugler of The Athletic described as having “go, go, Gadget arms.” At Texas A&M’s Pro Day, Crownover’s arm length measured in at 35.75 inches.
While it’s too early to say that the team landed a potential steal late on Day 3 of April’s draft, Crownover’s size and athletic profile at a premium position is good news for the Patriots and their fans entering the next phase of the offseason program.
Add us as a preferred source on Google