Rising up round a Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame father in Jason Taylor and uncle in Zach Thomas, strain to succeed on the soccer area was at all times excessive for Mason Taylor.
How has the brand new Jets tight finish handled these excessive requirements?
“There’s high expectations for sure because of the last name,” Taylor stated after Friday’s rookie minicamp. “However when individuals say, ‘Let him have his shine and stop saying his dad’s final title,’ I imply, I find it irresistible.
“We’re family, him and my uncle Zach. I’m wanting to be like them. You can call it ‘in their shadows,’ but I love modeling my game after theirs. Their hard work, and how they weren’t highly recruited coming into the NFL, their hard work, consistency every single day, I look up to those guys for sure.”
If Taylor performs wherever near the extent of his father and uncle, the Jets will probably be in nice form for years to come back. Jason Taylor and Thomas had been third and fifth-round draft picks, each by the Dolphins. However the Jets chosen Taylor No. 42 total in final month’s draft, believing he can solidify their beginning tight finish spot following the departure of Tyler Conklin, who signed with the Chargers in free company.
The Jets’ solely returning tight finish is backup Jeremy Ruckert. Additionally they signed Stone Smartt in free company this spring.
Throughout his three seasons at LSU, a faculty recognized for its distinctive tight ends and defensive backs, Taylor’s play stood out. Taylor grew to become the Tigers’ all-time chief in receptions (129) and receiving yards (1,308) for a decent finish.
Taylor might have essentially the most ready-made abilities out of all the tight ends who had been out there on this 12 months’s draft. At 6-5, 251 kilos, he’s sufficiently big to line up as an inline tight finish but in addition athletic sufficient to be a slot receiver in sure packages. Taylor additionally has good quickness and velocity, and he can observe contested passes and produce them down in visitors.
Along with his receiving abilities, Taylor is an honest blocker. He allowed simply eight pressures on 220 pass-blocking snaps throughout his three seasons at LSU, in keeping with Professional Soccer Focus.
Taylor was the third tight finish chosen on this 12 months’s draft. However he isn’t fearful about comparisons to Colston Loveland and Tyler Warren, who had been drafted forward of him.
“Everyone is part of a different program and a different scheme,” Taylor stated. “At LSU, I simply tried to give attention to becoming our scheme and being that constant participant in our offense and doing all the pieces the coaches requested of me.
“I’m just translating that over to the Jets now. Not really trying to compare myself to other people. I’m just a tight end that loves to do it all and loves to have a lot of stuff on my plate.”
Friday’s rookie minicamp was the primary time Taylor practiced with teammates since leaving LSU. Though the minicamp was not in pads, Taylor made a couple of impression performs in his No. 46, which was given by the Jets.
On a cross from undrafted free agent Brady Prepare dinner, who was being pressured, Taylor made a catch for a couple of 20-yard acquire.
However this was not the primary time he visited the Jets facility.
When Taylor was a child, his father performed one season (2010) with the Jets. That 12 months, they superior to the AFC Championship earlier than shedding to the Steelers. The Jets haven’t made the playoffs since then.
“Being here now is definitely a surreal moment,” Taylor stated. “However once more, benefiting from my alternative right here, and the coaches bringing me in, trusting me to be part of their program simply speaks to a stage of confidence they’ve in me.
“Just giving them all I got on the field for minicamp, and showing that in the meetings and weight room and all that, is definitely something I’m looking forward to.”
Membou excited after signing first contract
Though he doesn’t come from a soccer pedigree like Taylor, seventh total decide Armand Membou additionally arrives with excessive expectations. However he’s simply specializing in enhancing, together with throughout rookie minicamp.
“I’d just say just changing my footwork and techniques and learning the playbook to what the Jets do,” Membou stated.
Membou signed his rookie contract, value $31.9 million, on Thursday. His deal is absolutely assured and features a $19.8 million signing bonus. However Membou had a humorous response in regards to the cash he’s scheduled to earn.
“I looked at all those zeroes, I didn’t realize how much money I was getting,” he stated. “But it is definitely a blessing.”
A beginning proper deal with at Missouri for 3 seasons, Membou is predicted to have the identical position with the Jets this fall. He has somebody on the alternative aspect of the offensive line who went via the identical course of a 12 months in the past in left deal with Olu Fashanu.
The Jets drafted Fashanu eleventh total within the 2024 NFL Draft. Membou met Fashanu for the primary time on Friday, and the 2 chatted briefly earlier than apply.
“I just asked him about how it was for him last year, and he was telling me what it was like for him and the life of a rookie,” Membou stated. “He was a rookie a year ago, so he will definitely be able to help me a lot.”
Initially Revealed: Might 9, 2025 at 4:48 PM EDT
