BOSTON (WHDH) – The New England Patriots traded up to select offensive tackle Caleb Lomu from the University of Utah with the 28th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft Thursday night, and Drake Maye’s newest protector says he’s excited to join the team and get to work.
“It’s a place I always wanted to be and a team I always wanted to play for so it was – maybe it was me just wanting them super bad,” Lomu said. “Once I got that call though, it was crazy.”
The The 6-foot-6-inch, 313-pound offensive lineman started the last two seasons for Utah at left tackle, a position that currently belongs to last year’s fourth overall pick Will Campbell. Lomu said he will play wherever the team needs him to.
“I just want to play. Whatever position’s open I just want to get on the field and get out and play,” Lomu said. “And you know, Will Campbell already sent me a text. I haven’t been able to respond yet, but you know, I love that.”
Lomu said he also loves the prospect of protecting one of the league’s top young quarterbacks in Drake Maye.
“Drake Maye’s such a talented quarterback, I’m so excited to be able to work with him every day, be able to protect him, you know, I’m a protector. I’m an offensive lineman, it’s my job to protect that guy and you know I’m going to do everything that I can to protect him. Being able to go to work with him now is going to be amazing,” he said.
The Gilbert, Arizona native said he is also looking forward to calling New England home, as it’s an area of the country he said he is unfamiliar with.
“I haven’t been to much of the East Coast at all, so I’m excited to get over there, heard it’s beautiful,” Lomu said. “I had a friend there that actually served his LDS mission over there, he said he loves it and so I’m excited to get over there, experience it, a little bit aways from Arizona which will be fun. I’m excited to just experience it. I don’t know much about it at all, so that’ll be fun to learn about it more.”
The Patriots are set to make two more picks Friday, with the 63rd and 95th selections on day two of the draft.
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