Drafting Caleb Lomu Completely Reshapes Patriots' Future OT Plans

The offensive tackle position for the New England Patriots could very well see some changes for the approaching 2026 NFL season, or for the seasons beyond 2026.

Utah's Caleb Lomu was drafted with the Patriots' first round (28th overall) selection. He started at left tackle in all 12 regular season games for the Utes last season. The Patriots were able to snag Lomu, who they thought would have gone mugh higher in the draft by trading up with the Buffalo Bills.

But current left tackle Will Campbell -- entering his second season with New England -- is already entrenched in the starting role.

So that begs the question, how will drafting Lomu impact the left tackle position, or any offensive line position, for New England?

Left Tackle Outlook for Patriots Remains Clear

In his first of many post-draft media availabilities, Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf quickly made sure to acknowledge that Campbell will remain at left tackle.

"Will's the left tackle," Wolf said. "And like I said, Caleb has some versatility, so we feel like [with] some of the Pro Day workouts that he did were on the right side, and we were comfortable with that. Again, he's very athletic, so I don't think either side will be a problem."

Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; New England Patriots offensive tackle Will Campbell (66) against the Seattle Seahawks during Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Wolf also mentioned that Lomu's versatility, in which he showcased at his pro day on the right side of the line, will come in handy for the Patriots. Morgan Moses, entering the second of his three years on his contract, isn't getting any younger and Lomu has said he's willing to play the right tackle position. Should Moses retire ahead of the 2027 season, or New England decides to release him, Lomu will likely slot in as the longterm answer on the right side of the line.

What Will Lomu Bring To New England's OL?

The drafting of Lomu was executed in part of efforts to bolster the New England offensive line as a whole. Quarterback Drake Maye was sacked a total of six times in New England's 29-13 Super Bowl LX loss to the Seattle Seahawks — leading to discussions about how to protect the young quarterback.

While it won't be on the left side, at least not now, the Utah will certainly assist in those efforts. Lomu is 6-foot-6, weighing 313 pounds and was an All-Big 12 First Team selection in 2025. At the 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.

Lomu is young, he's just 21, so he will still shake up the offensive tackle position as a first round talent. But his development is also going to need to be a priority. And if he's not going to be playing at left tackle, he'll likely begin his career as a top swing tackle or potentially kick inside to play guard.

"Like most rookie offensive linemen, he's going to have to get stronger when he gets up here," Wolf said of Lomu.

In addition to Lomu and Campbell, New England's offensive tackle position group also includes Morgan Moses, James Hudson III, Marcus Bryant, Sebastian Gutierrez, Lorenz Metz and Dametrious Crownover. The team's rookie minicamp next week will be a good look to see where Lomu's development on the right side of the offensive line has progressed over the last few weeks, while also seeing if the team has any extended plans to look at him playing guard.

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