Who replaces Caleb Lomu at left tackle for Utah after NFL draft?

Utah offensive tackle Caleb Lomu was picked by the New England Patriots with the No. 28 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday.

Lomu, an All-Big 12 first team selection who started 24 games across two seasons with the Utes, became the 12th player in program history to be picked in the first round of the draft. With his O-line teammate, Spencer Fano, going to the Cleveland Browns with the No. 9 pick, it marked the first time two Utah players were selected in the first round of the same draft.

And like Fano, Lomu has been touted as a likely top-32 pick for some time now. The 6-foot-6 Arizona native began building palpable buzz during the 2025 season, as he helped pave the way for one of the most efficient offenses in the country that was also dominant running the football. In addition to blocking for an offense that finished with the most rush yards per game among Power 5 teams, Lomu didn't allow a single sack across 350-plus pass blocking opportunities.

That being said, Lomu's decision to declare for the draft in December only confirmed the Utes would have to find a replacement for their starting left tackle spot. It just so happened that, about two weeks prior to Lomu's declaration to go pro came out, Utah signed a blue-chip recruit who could slide in and start at the left tackle position right away as a freshman.

Who is Kelvin Obot?

Kelvin Obot, a talented tackle prospect from Fruitland, Idaho, was the centerpiece prospect in Utah's 2026 recruiting class. He checked in on 247Sports as a four-star prospect, the No. 41 player nationally, the No. 7 offensive tackle and the top-rated player from the state of Idaho.

Obot, who committed to the Utes last July over finalists Michigan State, Nebraska, Oregon and Michigan, finished the 2026 recruiting cycle with a composite grade of 0.9896 on 247Sports, making him the highest-graded signee in program history. He earned that prestigious designation after helping Fruitland High School finished the 2025 season with a 10-1 record and the Snake River Valley Conference title.

In addition to his prowess on the gridirion, Obot was quite the track and field standout at Fruitland, winning Idaho's 4A state titles in the shot put and discus during his junior year.

Obot was one of the Utes' early enrollees, which allowed him to get on campus and acclimate to the college lifestyle in Janaury. Around that same time, his high school coach, Jordan Gross, was hired by Utah to be the team's offensive line coach.

Kelvin Obot's fit with the Utes

There are a couple of other linemen with more Division I experience under their belts who could step in to fill Utah's void at left tackle, and it wouldn't be a surprise if the Utes went with one of their upperclassmen over Obot for the starting spot. Zereoue Williams and Keith Olson are two potential candidates to start; Cedric Jefferson, a transfer from Montana State, could slot in as well.

That being said, Obot was regarded as one of the top offensive tackles in the 2026 recruiting class and the top-ranked signee in program history — if any freshman has a chance to start for Utah this season, it's him.

"He's every bit of what we saw in his recruiting film," Utes head coach Morgan Scalley said of Obot following a spring practice.

The athleticism and technique Obot displayed in high school, as well as his reputation as a highly-touted recruit, mix to create some lofty expectations of what the 6-foot-5 freshman can be at the collegiate level. Having his former high school coach by his side for the next stages of his development could prove to be pivotal, though only time will tell whether he's ready to compete at the Power 5 level.

Other Candidates

After receiving a waiver for a sixth year of college football, Williams would be a logical choice to start at left tackle given his experience, which includes over 100 snaps at left tackle in 2025. His size at 6-foot-8 and 305 pounds also makes him a viable candidate to protect Devon Dampier's blind side.

Olson, a redshirt senior, has shown the versatility to play on either side of the O-line as a guard and has right tackle experience. According to Pro Football Focus, the 6-foot-6, 307 pound Washington native allowed two pressure and two hurries across 98 pass blocking opportunities in 2025. Given he's logged several snaps at right tackle, Olson might be a better fit to replace Fano at that spot

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