The New York Jets did it again, this time they hope they don't get burned like they have in the past.
The Jets, for the second year in a row, passed on a dynamic tight end for a rock solid graded offensive lineman. With their first pick of the 2025 NFL Draft they selected Missouri tackle Armand Membou with the seventh overall pick.
The pick marks the first of the new regime led by new head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey. Despite the new men in charge this draft feels very familiar to gang green fans because it was just last season that the Jets spent their Round 1 pick on a tackle. Last season they selected Penn State's left tackle Olu Fashanu with the 11th overall pick.
In both situations they passed on a heavily thought of tight end in the process. Last season it was Brock Bowers, who immediately turned into one of the best at his position in the entire league, and this year they passed on both Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland, who both went in the first round. "We feel really good about the way the board fell," Mougey told reporters. "We always admired him on film, we knew he'd be a physical fit. He was here on his 21st birthday [last month] and last week we had a few really good phone calls. ... And he's a kid who's comfortable in his own skin, he's got a good personality. All of it was just a natural fit for us."
Glenn added "Athletically, he's off the charts," the first-year head coach told reporters late in the first round. "He's mean, tough, nasty. He really fits what we're trying to do on offense. It was really a no-brainer. Once he was there for our pick, this was the guy."
Membou was considered one of the best tackles in this draft. He earned second-team All-SEC honors, and he didn't give up any sacks or any QB hits in 411 pass-blocking snaps last season. He then went on to wow everyone at the NFL combine.