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Eliot Wolf admits Patriots were surprised Caleb Lomu was still available before trade-up
"We actually canceled his 30-visit because we didn't — we had one scheduled and we just didn't think he was going to factor in for us."
It’s not often that the Patriots make the call to trade up in the first round of an NFL Draft — especially as a result of swapping picks with an AFC East rival like the Bills.
But such was the case late Thursday night, with New England — originally set to pick 31st overall in the first round — packaging that first-rounder and pick No. 125 to Buffalo in order to move up to No. 28.
With that selection, New England bolstered its offensive line by selecting tackle Caleb Lomu out of the University of Utah.
Speaking to reporters shortly after the pick was made, Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf expanded on why New England made the aggressive move to trade up a few spots in the first round.
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“Really excited about this player,” Wolf said of Lomu. “He’s young, he’s experienced, he’s athletic, he’s a great kid, and frankly, I was a little surprised that he was still available. And that’s why we decided to move up a little bit. And we’re excited to have him.”
Beyond the need for New England to bolster their tackle depth amid concerns over Will Campbell’s postseason struggles and Morgan Moses’s age (35), Wolf stressed that the Patriots felt as though there was a drop-off in tackle talent after Lomu in this draft class.
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Lomu was the seventh tackle taken in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Even though Lomu fit a need for New England, the Patriots did not bring him in for a “30-visit” — a pre-draft meeting where teams can invite up to 30 prospects to their facilities for interviews, medical assessments, and more.
Wolf was candid as to why New England didn’t do that with Lomu.
“We interviewed him at the Combine. That was great. We actually canceled his 30-visit because we didn’t – we had one scheduled and we just didn’t think he was going to factor in for us. We thought he’d be gone,” Wolf said. “So, his agent, Chase Callahan, wasn’t too excited about that, but they understood, and here we are.
“So, it’s pretty exciting to be able to acquire him. But athletically, like some of the things at the pro day, the feet, the ability to play right tackle, and then obviously some of the zooms that we did with him where he showed the intelligence that we felt like he had some versatility and would be able to play more than one spot.”
Even though Lomu started at left tackle in Utah, Wolf expressed confidence that the 21-year-old offensive lineman can play right tackle as well, which could open the door for him to develop as Moses’s eventual replacement.
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“We feel like he has the athletic ability and talent to — obviously he has to come in and earn a role somewhere — but he has the athletic ability and talent and strength and upside to kind of play anywhere on the line,” Wolf said. “And again, we’re just really thrilled.
“Big athletes like this are hard to come by, especially later in the first round like this. So, don’t want to set him up for any wild comparisons or anything like that. But just really, really happy that we were able to acquire him.”
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