Caleb Lomu is already thinking long-term with Patriots QB Drake Maye

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Drake Maye wasted no time reaching out to Caleb Lomu after he was drafted by the New England Patriots in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

“He actually texted me as well after draft night," Lomu revealed during his introductory press conference at Gillette Stadium. "That was awesome to see."

And with that, he can't wait to begin working with Maye and seeing him in action, especially after all he was able to accomplish and prove last year.

"Young quarterback," Lomu added. "I love the energy that he brings to the team, the talent that he has."

And with that, he knows Maye is here to stay, and he plans to stick around with the Patriots for a while as well.

"I’m excited to be able to protect for him and play with him," Lomu detailed. "He’s such a young guy with so much, you know, left of him and experience and talent, and so I’m excited to be able to play for that for many years.”

The Patriots are making it quite clear that protecting Maye is a key priority, having now used back-to-back first-round picks in the last two drafts to select offensive tackles. It was Will Campbell in 2025, and now Lomu in 2026.

Campbell is still expected to remain on the left side, despite that being primarily where Lomu played in college. Instead, the rookie is viewed as the replacement for 35-year-old Morgan Moses.

If it all works out, the Patriots will have their starting tackles set for the foreseeable future. The hope is that by investing in the tackle position, with last year’s first-round pick Will Campbell and Lomu, Maye will be adequately protected.

So, New England has Maye, and now they have their two long-term tackles to protect him.

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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Caleb Lomu is already thinking long-term with Patriots QB Drake Maye