The New York Jets are currently facing an obvious gap in their offensive lineup.
Over the past few seasons, the Jets had a reliable tight end in Tyler Conklin, but he’s no longer with the team. Conklin moved on to the Los Angeles Chargers during free agency. The Jets brought in Stone Smartt as a replacement, though he’s better suited as a secondary tight end rather than a primary option.
Lately, mock drafts have frequently connected the Jets to Penn State’s Tyler Warren, widely considered the premier tight end in this year’s draft class.
He’s expected to still be on the board when the Jets pick at No. 7 in the first round. However, Zack Rosenblatt, The Athletic’s Jets beat writer, put out a full seven-round mock draft for the team, suggesting they’ll look elsewhere in the opening round and instead target LSU tight end Mason Taylor with their second-round selection.
“The Jets’ group of wide receivers and tight ends surrounding Garrett Wilson is, frankly, among the weakest in the league on paper,” Rosenblatt noted. “They can’t afford to leave the first two rounds without adding at least one pass-catcher—honestly, two wouldn’t be unreasonable. The current options—Allen Lazard, Josh Reynolds, Malachi Corley, Jeremy Ruckert, and Stone Smartt—aren’t enough to set up Fields for success.
“This year’s tight end class is one of the strongest in recent memory, and Taylor has the skills to step in right away as a key target for Fields. NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah views Taylor as a first-round talent, while The Athletic’s Dane Brugler ranks him just outside the top 32, at No. 37. At 6-5 and 255 pounds, Taylor is a big, athletic tight end who can move well and help in run blocking. His potential surpasses any tight end the Jets have had in years. Among 35 tight ends with at least 50 targets, Taylor posted the lowest drop rate in FBS at 1.8 percent.”
Taylor ranks among LSU’s all-time great tight ends, holding program records for a tight end with 129 receptions and 1,308 receiving yards. While Warren has garnered more attention, Taylor would still be an excellent pickup. If the Jets can strengthen both their offensive line and tight end spot within the first two rounds, it’d be a major victory for the draft.
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