New England Patriots offensive lineman Caleb Lomu had a great reaction to being drafted by the organization, as he related in an interview earlier this week.
Lomu was selected by the Patriots for the 28th overall pick in last week’s draft. The selection gave New England additional depth, and another young lineman on the offensive line. The Patriots made it clear that they wanted to pursue the lineman, as they traded up with the Buffalo Bills to get to that slot.
Patriots Rookie Was Excited To Join Team
For Lomu, being drafted by the Patriots was more than just a landing spot. It was a goal of his. He sang the praises of the organization in a recent interview with Patriots.com.
“It’s the Patriots. They’re such an amazing organization… That really sunk in for me. I got the call, was celebrating, and that night I was really just lying in bed and was like, ‘Dang, it’s the Patriots.’”
The Patriots have made the offensive line a focus over the course of the last couple drafts. This has been an area that they wanted to get better in getting back to 2018. They took Georgia offensive tackle Isaiah Wynn with the 23rd overall pick in the first round. They did not select another offensive lineman until 2022, when they selected guard Cole Srange from Chattanooga.
More recently, the Patriots have used the draft to strengthen the line. Caedan Wallace was drafted with the 68th overall pick in the third round of the 2024 draft. Wallace was thought to be a potential key piece of the line moving forward. Out of all of these selections, Will Campbell is the crown jewel. He was selected with the fourth pick in last year’s draft, and is thought to be a cornerstone of the offensive line.
Now, Lomu will join Texas A&M offensive tackle Dametrious Crownover on the line, after both were selected in this year’s draft.
The infrastructure is certainly there. Now, it’s just about continuing to build. The Patriots’ offensive line showed a bit of improvement last year. They surrendered 48 sacks, down from 52 the year before. Offensive line coach Doug Marone was able to help develop the unit, and at least give it a starting point. Now, it’s about continuing to build off of what the team did last year.
Lomu To Be Future Building Block For Patriots
Lomu figures to be in the team’s future plans for quite some time. The fact that he is so excited to join the organization says a lot. He could get the opportunity to play sooner rather than later. His versatility, as well as the ability to play multiple positions, certainly helps with that. In retrospect, the Patriots may have gotten a gem here.
Multiple teams wanted him, and the Patriots were able to set their sights on him after some draft day trades. `Patriots needed to continue to help quarterback Drake Maye in terms of protection, and they were able to get it done. Much ado has been made about whether the Patriots had a successful draft class or not. Even the Lomu move has been polarizing to some experts. That being said, there is no denying his overall skill and talent.
Aside from just the football aspect of it, Lomu is excited to be here. That in itself is worth more than any evaluation.
Patriots Rookie Shares Emotional Moment After Draft Call