Shortly after the pick, Lomu told reporters he’s thrilled to join a rising offense and to protect Maye every day. “I’m a protector… It’s my job to protect that guy,” he said, emphasizing his excitement to work with Maye and contribute to the line.
This marks the second consecutive season the Patriots used a first-round pick on an offensive tackle, underscoring how critical protection for Maye has become for the franchise.
Maye needed more steady protection last season, especially in the playoffs, where New England allowed 21 sacks in four postseason games. A recent strip-sack TD during the Super Bowl highlighted how much the offense relied on keeping him upright.
Lomu arrived at Utah as a four-star recruit and chose the Ute program over several others. He redshirted in 2023, then started 12 games at left tackle as a redshirt freshman in 2024, earning Freshman All-American honors, and again started 12 games in 2025 with All-Big 12 recognition.
As the Patriots move through offseason calculations, questions linger about how to deploy Lomu alongside Will Campbell and Morgan Moses, who are returning as starters. Campbell, a left tackle by trade, and Lomu’s college experience at left tackle add intrigue to New England’s long-term plans at tackle.
In short, the addition of Lomu signals a focused effort to protect Maye and improve the offensive line as the team eyes another potential run, with flexibility in the lineup likely to evolve as the season approaches.
