It is a homecoming like no other.
The year is 2010, and the New York Jets are in playoff contention for the second year in a row. MetLife Stadium is filled with fans young and old, but one six-year-old is there to watch his dad play.
Mason Taylor grew up in Florida watching the Miami Dolphins and his father, Jason Taylor, prove time and time again that he was one of the best defensive linemen of all time. He watched his dad collect sacks, interceptions, and fumbles virtually every game. After his dad signed with the Jets later in his career, Mason had the opportunity to watch him play on one of the biggest stages in the NFL.
Fast-forward 15 years to the night of the 2025 NFL Draft. This is notoriously a time of uncertainty for players, following the news closely and waiting for their phones to ring. Most are left wondering when they will be drafted and by whom. Some need time to adjust to their new team, but not Mason. He is returning to a place he remembers quite well, wearing green and white.
Taylor spent three years at LSU as the team’s starting tight end and quickly proved that he deserved to be there. He hauled in 129 catches for 1,308 yards and six touchdowns during his tenure in Baton Rouge, and he cemented himself as a top-three tight end going into the combine. It was there when he caught the attention of the Jets’ front office. Taylor posted a 4.65 40-yard dash and recorded 28 reps in the bench press, second best among all tight ends.
Coming into Day 1 of the draft, the team’s needs were clear. There was a demand for a starting tight end, and there was a hole at right tackle. The media speculated that the Jets would select Penn State’s Tyler Warren with the No. 7 overall pick. However, they ultimately decided to pick offensive lineman Armand Membou from Missouri in hopes of building the team from the inside out and solidifying the line.
This was important because the Membou pick was the second time in two years that the Jets committed to an offensive lineman in the first round, as they drafted Olu Fashanu in last year’s draft. The last time the team picked back-to-back linemen in the first round was in 2006 when they owned two first-rounders and drafted D’Brickashaw Ferguson fourth overall and Nick Mangold at No. 29. This was also the last time the team was remotely watchable. A solid offensive line may be the key to breaking the 14-year playoff drought. When the men in the trenches do their job, even mediocre quarterbacks like Mark Sanchez can beat Tom Brady in the AFC Divisional Game.
With the Jets passing on Tyler Warren, it solidified Taylor as a primary target for the team going into Day 2. The sun set in Green Bay, and the next day, the New York Jets drafted Mason Taylor with the No. 42 pick.
Newly hired head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey both expressed how pleased they were with the team’s picks in their post-draft press conference. Glenn pointed out the family connection to the team, saying, “the bloodlines of him understanding football, that stands out… I trust that Jason, like just in his DNA, put what he got into his son, and it shows up on tape.”
He and Mougey stated how Taylor fits the mold and brand of the team, and that he will be able to compete for a starting spot on day one. Mougey was complimentary of Taylor, noting his athleticism, instincts, ball skills and versatility. Looking to fight for a starting position, Taylor joins a thinly spread tight end room of Jeremy Ruckert, Stone Smartt, and Zack Kuntz. He brings a physicality and competitiveness to the team, receiving high praise for both his receiving and blocking abilities.
For the last decade and a half, Jets fans have been terrorized by, but not limited to, inconsistent tight ends. Between Tyler Conklin, C.J. Uzomah, Chris Herndon, Ryan Griffin, Kellen Davis, and Jeff Cumberland, the Jets have not had a franchise tight end since they drafted Dustin Keller in 2008. If Taylor produces like he did at LSU and progresses his game like coaches think he can, he has a real chance to be the starter by Week 1 and a franchise tight end by the end of his career.
Leave a comment