The 2025 NFL Draft kicked off on Thursday night, and the New York Jets used the No, 7 pick on right tackle Armand Membou.
The team is hoping Membou can combine with 2024 pick Olu Fashanu to give the Jets a solid pair of bookends. Justin Fields was added in free agency to play quarterback, and protecting the new passer is clearly a priority.
In the second round, on Friday night, the Jets decided to add weapons for Fields. With the No. 42 pick in the the draft, the Jets took LSU tight end Mason Taylor.
Taylor excelled in 2024, catching 55 passes for 546 yards and two touchdowns for the Tigers. The pass-catcher is the son of NFL Hall of Famer Jason Taylor, who is most know for his known for his elite tenure with the Miami Dolphins. Jason Taylor did spend one season with the Jets himself, playing for the team in 2010.
The younger Taylor demonstrated an ability to hold his own as a blocker and get open across the middle of the field and catch everything in his vicinity. If that isn't impressive enough, though, what legendary coach Nick Saban had to say about the player will get you excited.
Saban is part of College GameDay's draft coverage, and the coach offered high praise for Taylor after his selection. The coach said that not getting Taylor to Alabama was "the biggest recruiting mistake we ever made."
"This guy is an outstanding player," said the legendary coach.
Saban coached hundreds of legendary players, so that's incredible praise from the legendary coach.
Taylor was rated as a three-star prospect out of St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, FL in the 2022 class. The pass-catcher chose LSU over Saban at Alabama, Pittsburgh, and Arizona, among others.
In 38 games at LSU, Taylor caught 129 passes for 1,308 yards and six touchdowns.
Now, Taylor will head to New York and aim to be the team's starting tight end. The Jets lost Tyler Conklin in free agency, so Taylor has a chance to get a high volume of targets immediately.