Lomu is a long, athletic tackle whom the Patriots praised for his versatility.
Here are five things to know about Lomu:
He may be in for a position switch
Lomu started all 12 games at left tackle last season and didn’t allow a sack. Utah stuck with him on the left side, and Fano on the right side.
Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf said Thursday night that Campbell will remain at left tackle. Campbell struggled in the postseason after recovering from an MCL sprain and there had been speculation that he might one day move to guard because of his arm length. So far, Wolf and coach Mike Vrabel have said Campbell will stay at left tackle.
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On the right side, the Patriots have Morgan Moses, who started all 17 regular-season games last year and is now 35 years old.
Wolf said he doesn’t expect either side to be a problem for Lomu.
“He’s still 21 years old, played mostly on the left side,” Wolf said. “But we feel like he has the athletic ability and talent to — obviously has to come in and earn a role somewhere, but he has the athletic ability, talent, strength, and upside to kind of play anywhere on the line. And again, we’re just really thrilled. Big athletes like this are hard to come by, especially later in the first round like this.”
Lomu is 6 feet 6 inches and 308 pounds, and his arm length is considered a plus.
NFL.com projected him as an eventual “plus-starter” because of his athleticism. He ran a 4.99 40-yard dash and had a 32.5-inch vertical leap, both of which were top 10 among offensive linemen.
But there is room for the 21-year-old to put on muscle and get stronger.
“Lomu must get stronger and continue to develop his technique and grit,” The Athletic’s Dane Brugler wrote. “But NFL teams are understandably intrigued by his movement ability and ready-to-cultivate left tackle skill set. His upside points to him becoming an NFL starter.”
The Patriots were surprised he was available
Wolf said part of the reason the Patriots traded up for Lomu was that they were surprised he was still available at No. 28.
The Patriots had canceled his top-30 visit, but that didn’t stop them from picking him.
“I wasn’t shocked by that or thought differently. I had a really good visit with them at the Combine,” Lomu said. “I think maybe it was just to check my medical, but I had a clean medical. So it didn’t throw me by surprise. I always thought they were still in the mix, and of course they were. But I’m very happy they were still in the mix and still wanted me.”
Mike Vrabel made a strong first impression
Lomu said his interview with the Patriots at the Combine was initially nerve-racking, but ultimately turned into something he loved.
Vrabel made a strong first impression.
“I loved him. I walked in there, and he was definitely playing his role,” Lomu said. “He was kind of mean-mugging a little bit. So I walked in there, and that made me a little intimidated. He just started asking questions, you know?
“He started asking me questions, was getting on me a little bit, and it was awesome. Then right after, it was all smiles. He came up to me, shook my hand, said, ‘Really good job,’ and I just walked out. It’s just speed dating at the Combine, but I loved it. He was a very serious guy, and he’s an amazing coach. I can’t wait to be able to play for him.”
He is the latest example of a team trading out of pick No. 31
The Patriots’ trade with the Bills made it 10 times in the last 15 years that pick No. 31 has been traded. New England sent No. 31 and a fourth-round pick to Buffalo to move up and take Lomu.
It was one of several first-round trades. Two of the final three picks Thursday night were traded.
The Patriots took running back Sony Michel last time they had No. 31, in 2018.
Khari Thompson can be reached at [email protected].
