As the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft went on, it was becoming clear that the Patriots would need to trade up if they were hoping to pick one of the top options at offensive tackle or pass rusher, and that's exactly what they did.
Tackles started trickling off the board, and although it would be fair to argue that they need a pass rusher more than a right tackle who will become a starter in 2027, Mike Vrabel and Eliot Wolf didn't feel the same way. So they traded up three spots with the Bills to No. 28 to select left tackle Caleb Lomu out of Utah.
At first glance, it doesn't make a lot of sense that they would take a left tackle after drafting Will Campbell at No. 4 overall last year.
However, he has limited but some experience at right tackle, and the assumption is that the Patriots feel he could be the successor to Morgan Moses and take the 2026 season to acclimate to his new position.
Patriots are playing the long-term game by selecting Caleb Lomu in the first round
There has been plenty of whispering about the future of Campbell as New England's franchise left tackle after his disastrous Super Bowl. But both Vrabel and Wolf have emphasized this offseason that they have no plan to move him to guard, and the selection of Lomu doesn't change that.
Although he's almost exclusively played left tackle during his college career, the Patriots plan to give him the 2026 season to learn from Morgan Moses on the right side and hope that's enough mentoring to make him a comfortable replacement next year.
If all goes well, this will be a homerun pick that addresses a future need. Hopefully, that's what happens, and the decision to pass on other tackles or a pass rusher won't look like a big mistake.
He has shown a lot of potential and will immediately add size and good protection for Drake Maye to work with. Now we just have to hope it all goes to plan, and the Patriots' scouts are right in their belief that Lomu can be the player they believe he can be.
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