2026 NFL Draft: Contract details revealed Patriots first-round pick Caleb Lomu

The New England Patriots are hoping they just took somebody who can immediately make a difference. Utah offensive tackle Caleb Lomu will be the guy tasked with the job, getting paid as such too. Lomu will be getting a nice four-year rookie contract heading his way to sign in the coming weeks. In total, the deal is worth $18.2 million.

Being a first-round pick comes with a lot of perks. Outside of the $4.5 million average annual value, Lomu gets a signing bonus worth $9.7 million.

This pick actually exchanged a few different hands. While New England is the one to ultimately make the selection at No. 28, the Houston Texans originally held it. They then traded it to the Buffalo Bills to move up two spots. Buffalo then decided to trade with their bitter AFC East rival, allowing them to get a quality offensive tackle.

New England also took somebody to protect quarterback Drake Maye in the first round last year. Will Campbell was the prized pick and manned the left tackle position. Maybe there is something for the Patriots to think about because Lomu was on the blindside while at Utah.

Lomu was dominant as a pass protector this past season. He earned a 82.1 grade via PFF, which ranked 28th among all OT’s in FBS in 2025. He let up eight total pressures, allowing two hits but gave up no sacks while blocking the offense’s blind side.

However, he was graded 62.0 in run-blocking — 232nd-best in the nation. He was also called for four penalties during the season. Overall, Lomu played 823 snaps last season for the Utes.

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Caleb Lomu

Now that Lomu has been drafted, his new fanbase may want to know what to expect out of their newest offensive tackle. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein provided in-depth analysis on the former Utah standout.

“Two-year starting left tackle who is still in the early stages of his development. Utah’s run game leaned heavily on movement and misdirection, preventing Lomu from firing out and showing his power. His run blocking trails his pass protection, but improved pad level and a nastier demeanor could close the gap. In protection, he shows good balance with adequate foot quickness, landing quick, well-timed punches and using a firm grip to control rushers once he’s in. His anchor was rarely stressed by power and his athletic recoveries are average.

“Lomu flashes but is still under construction. His play could improve rapidly with strength gains and additional coaching.”

On3’s Barkley Truax contributed to this report