Utah Left Tackle Caleb Lomu Blocks Like a Wrestler

He had to have a wrestling background.

That’s what kept going through my mind as I studied Utah left tackle Caleb Lomu on his 2024 game film.

I kept thinking about it until I had to find out, so I researched it on Google.

Sure enough.

Lomu did have some experience with wrestling from when he was younger.

Makes sense.

Why’s that?

Lomu demonstrated a high-level understanding of the art of leverage while pass and run blocking.

How did he look on film?

Solid.

Not great.

Solid.

I entered this evaluation knowing that Lomu was being mocked at this point in the process, as the No. 18-ranked prospect overall in the 2026 NFL Draft (nflmockdraftdatabase.com).

But that’s not what he looked like on film.

When I think of what a first-round franchise left tackle should look like, I think of a 300+ pound dancing ballerina that’s a graceful pass blocker and a punishing run blocker.

I want to see DOMINANCE.

I want to see someone who makes it look easy.

That’s not what Lomu showed me.

Lomu works at it.

He pushes.

He shoves.

Lomu is as competitive as they come. It’s that trait he combines with his understanding of leverage that allows him to do a serviceable job most of the time.

The key phrase…

Most of the time.

Pass blocking concerns

• Average lateral footspeed
• Average football playing speed
• Tendency to waist bend

It comes down to pass blocking (29/32 NFL teams passed the ball more than 50% of the time in 2024), and left tackle is the premium offensive line position.

Bottom line ⎯

Lomu tends to stop moving his feet when he’s challenged with speed, waist bend, and give up leverage toward the back door of the pocket. Granted, he compensates with effort. However, there were times when effort wasn’t enough at the college level.

Last season, Lomu allowed 17 pressures and two sacks in 425 snaps.

I charted 37 times Utah gave him pass blocking help with a double-team.

Run blocking

He’s decent at it.

Lomu is a mauler.

Sometimes he did enough, and sometimes he wasn’t able to do enough.

Bernhard Raimann comp?

It’s funny, the name that went through my mind while watching Lomu was Colts’ left tackle Bernhard Raimann. I had a pre-draft second-round grade on Raimann and projected him to be the best at right tackle. Raimann went in the third round to the Colts (No. 77 in the 2022 NFL Draft) and inked a 4-year, $100 million extension with Indianapolis on July 28. What’s funny about it is that this just happens to be who ESPN’s Jordan Reid is comparing Lomu to.

I’m not going there yet.

Why?

While there are many similarities between my Raimann and Lomu evaluations, Raimann demonstrated better upper and lower body pass blocking techniques. Lomu is more out of control.

#71 Caleb Lomu 6-foot-6, 304 pounds

Daniel Kelly’s 2025 Summer Grade: Third-Round (I would select him)

Projected by NFL Mock Draft Database to be a First-Round prospect as of August 1, 2025

2024 game film evaluated: Southern Utah, Baylor, Utah State, Oklahoma State, Arizona, Arizona State, TCU, Houston, BYU, Colorado, Iowa State, and UCF (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Competitive blocker with an average skillset and techniques. Athletic frame. Durable. Strong. Battles in pass pro. Alert. Scrappy. Inconsistent pass sets. Sometimes attempts to slide out, and at other times backpedals to gain depth in the pocket. High football IQ. Good versus stunts, spins, blitzes, and delayed blitzes. Average anchor versus bull rushes. Tends to lean too much into defenders while pass blocking. He leaves the front and back doors vulnerable. Tough positional run blocker with inconsistent sustain. Finisher with leverage.

What to watch for during the 2025 college football season

1. Does it look like he’s in control?

2. Pass blocking techniques?

3. How does he look in space as a run blocker?

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock, and has written for Sports Illustrated (Lions, Jets, and 49ers), NFL Draft Diamonds, and Yardbarker, as well as a featured guest on ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Radio. Featured in USA Today. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. Follow on Twitter @firstroundmock.