DRAFT Welcome Caleb Lomu OT Utah

[Steve102]

Lomu's night overshadowed by Vrabel's scandal smh!

Maybe if you shut the f*ck up about it, it might go away. Keep bringing it up.

 

[JayNM]

I really like the pick, for a couple of reasons.

Seems lanky and fast. Bulk is the one physical trait that is easie-ER to train, especially with him being young.

If Campbell has another string of bad games, he already has experience there, so we could plug him in.

If Moses is gone after this year, Lomu will had 1 year training to become a RT, which is fine by me.

If Vera-Tucker gets hurt, we can also slide Campbell and plug Lomu.

Basically we starter options at every level all around the line. If Wilson can be an upgrade over Bradburry (and I think he will), this has a great upside.

 

[State]

If?

 

[KCSVEN]

Whether Lomu works out or not is anyone's guess, but this is a continuation of how they operated in last year's draft. This group understands how the draft works. They saw the run on linemen, they had a guy ranked high on their board who was ranked by others as a first rounder so they jumped the 49ers to be sure to get him. That's what you're supposed to do.

-Hit rate for first round tackles: 73%
-Hit rate for first round edge: 49.3%
-Pick 28 bust rate is about 40%
-Bust rate of first rounders age 21 when drafted: 33% vs age 22 is 50%, age 23 is 61% and after that really ugly.

In the last 10 years Patrick Queen was the only guy drafted at 28 that made the pro bowl. LB is just above Tackle for first round success rate so make sense.

This is a smart pick and shows they understand the analytics related to the draft. Of course, just because it was a smart pick doesn't mean it'll work out but they played the best odds.

They had a serious depth issue at tackle; this is an attempt to solve that.

 

[KCSVEN]

 

[festy1986]

Lots of draft capital over the last 2 years used on the oline.

 

[Crazy Patriot Guy]

Lots of draft capital over the last 2 years used on the oline.

Is that good or bad?

 

[festy1986]

Is that good or bad?

It needed to be addressed. So good I guess. Not sexy though.

It's fine. They're getting AJ Brown and if they can get a solid TE and hopefully upgrade their RB I think they can really come into their own.

 

[State]

Not a glitzy pick that's for sure. But young with a great upside and will fill a need for the future.

Yep. At LT.

Last year’s pick was Kyle Brady redux.

But Short Arms will make a fine LG. A very fine one.

But the point of the draft is, you know, improve. Not do do-overs.

Meanwhile, how did the other teams in the AFC East do?

 

[State]

Lots of draft capital over the last 2 years used on the oline.

Yep. But the partial line of Lomu-Stubby-Wilson looks elite.

Too bad the guys the Patriots have to do something else is not currently much in evidence: getting after the QB.

 

[Ross12]

It needed to be addressed. So good I guess. Not sexy though.

It's fine. They're getting AJ Brown and if they can get a solid TE and hopefully upgrade their RB I think they can really come into their own.

I still worry about EDGE but at least they have one good starter and a very good interior DL. The LBs need a little help but that can be addressed with another pick tonight perhaps. The secondary is extremely good. So it’s probably just going to be a weakness at one edge. It’ll be a real rag-tag group there rotating in and out.

 

[State]

I still worry about EDGE

THE GLARING NEED. Don’t get this fixed, and this season will see a regression.

 

[Ross12]

Caleb Lomu on playing with Drake Maye 4/23: "I'm going to do everything I can to protect him"

Patriots 28th overall pick Caleb Lomu addresses the media on Thursday, April 23, 2026.

www.patriots.com

Kid was great! Excellent media session.

 

[Patsfan1645]

Solid but not sexy pick certainly needed as we got handled too much in the trenches last year. Dude is already married at 21 so probably a stable down to earth guy, I doubt we see him out on a boat doing some questionable things. As for nastiness in his play demeanor that's something you generally cannot teach but maybe him and Campbell will become buds and some of that will rub off on him.

 

[PatsFan2]

I really like the pick, for a couple of reasons.

Seems lanky and fast. Bulk is the one physical trait that is easie-ER to train, especially with him being young.

If Campbell has another string of bad games, he already has experience there, so we could plug him in.

If Moses is gone after this year, Lomu will had 1 year training to become a RT, which is fine by me.

If Vera-Tucker gets hurt, we can also slide Campbell and plug Lomu.

Basically we starter options at every level all around the line. If Wilson can be an upgrade over Bradburry (and I think he will), this has a great upside.

Don't forget Marcus Bryant love to see where he's at in year two: he has all the tools.

 

[Wozzy]

Caleb Lomu is 21 years old, he's probably going to sit for this season if they can manage it.

He needs to pack some muscle on, but at 21 he's probably not done growing.

I also don't think people should worry so much about left or right, some tackles can play both sides well.

 

[Hugepatsfan]

I believe we will go into next year (2027) with 4 out of 5 starters set.

Ideally, it would be:

LT Campbell / LG AVT / C Wilson / RG ??? / RT Lomu

If Campbell has a bad year at LT though, it could be:

LT Lomu / LG Campbell / C Wilson / RG AVT / RT ???

Hopefully Campbell doesn't necessitate that - his overall season was solid at LT and you like to think the late season struggles were injury, but we do have to acknowledge them and the chance they could be real.

So i still think they'll want one long-term starter. Not sure they'll want to re-sign Onwenu since he'll be in his 30s for the next deal and his athletic profile is a mismatch with everyone else. Possible that if the opening is at RG then Wallace could emerge as the guy, or Bryant if the opening is at RT. Not holding my breath on either though.

 

[BennyBledsoe]

One draft journal comped him to Rosengarten in Baltimore, who plays.... RT. This is the modern NFL, as I keep getting told. It's a passing league. Why not have both LT and RT be good to great at pass protection?

 

[Real fan 02]

Position of need and every projection ive seen gave him a rd1 grade so im happy for now

I wanted edge. But very happy with the selection. Can play multiple positions. Big,strong, high character. I watched his post draft interview. Absolutely love the guy already. Hopefully I get my edge guy today at #63!

 

[Real fan 02]

I like the pick for now. Just because of need and the potential this guy has. This is very much a, "we'll see" though.

Believe Campbell has been getting a totally unfair rap because of his superbowl performance & Had we won the superbowl the talk would be totally different! He struggled! He was hurt and never should have been out there. I'm sure of he was honest he would admit that. He's our LT and was rock solid last season prior to him getting hurt... he won the job in camp and was a starter... I think ppl really need to ease up off the Campbell criticism!