The Patriots even went so far as to cancel their pre-draft visit to the top 30 because they didn’t believe they would be in a position to select him. So they decided to be aggressive and move up the board in a trade with the division rival Buffalo Bills.
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They traded the 31st and 125th overall picks to Buffalo for the 28th pick.
“I’m really excited about this player,” Wolf said. “He’s young, he’s experienced. He’s athletic. He’s a great kid… I was a little surprised that he was still available, and that’s why we decided to move up a little bit.”
Time will tell how the Lomu pick will turn out, particularly when most expected the Patriots to target a lead back in the first round. They eventually filled that need by acquiring Illinois linebacker Gabe Jacas in the second round.But Lomu’s move makes sense as a future replacement for Morgan Moses, who is 35 years old. Lomu is a talented offensive lineman capable of playing multiple positions. Those types of players don’t appear often.
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This was a smart choice for all the Patriots.
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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Eliot Wolf Reveals What Surprised Patriots Most About OT Caleb Lomu