NFL free agency never truly “ends,” but most of the major moves have come and gone. Thus, the NFL draft landscape gains a little clarity.
The consensus prediction for the New York Jets’ favored pick at No. 7 has already undergone a shift. Previously favored to choose Penn State tight end Tyler Warren, the Jets’ most popular mock draft selection is now Missouri offensive tackle Armand Membou.
Membou has been flying up draft boards after an otherworldly combine. He ran the forty-yard dash in 4.91 seconds at 331 pounds, part of a 9.89 RAS (Relative Athletic Score) performance. Membou also wowed onlookers with a 34-inch vertical jump and a 115-inch broad jump.
Membou is one of those prospects who raises the question of how heavily the combine should be weighted. Because, mere weeks ago, he was nowhere close to consideration for the Jets’ seventh pick. As recently as January 28, he was the No. 32 overall prospect on NFL Mock Draft Database’s consensus big board. Now, he is all the way up at No. 8. Is it a red flag when a prospect’s stock rises this quickly without playing any football? That is the question New York must weigh with Membou. This franchise has overdrafted plenty of workout warriors in the past.
Excellent testing numbers and an imposing frame are not the only things going for Membou, however. He had a dominant 2024 season as Missouri’s right tackle, allowing zero sacks, zero quarterback hits, and eight total pressures on 411 pass-blocking snaps. He also recorded an 87.6 run-blocking grade at Pro Football Focus. On top of that, Membou will only be 21 years old in Week 1, which is a major plus. It indicates he should still have multiple years of growth ahead of him.
Despite his impressive statistical production, Membou was not in the first-round conversation until after the college season. His ranking on the consensus big board was No. 66 on December 15 and No. 46 on January 12. Why wasn’t he generating buzz earlier? Was he just being overlooked by the draft community? Or is his film legitimately second-round-caliber, only now being outweighed by his gaudy testing numbers?
The Jets need to ask themselves why Membou wasn’t in the top-seven conversation until after the combine. On one hand, they might have had Membou as a first-round prospect all along, while his consensus ranking in the eyes of the draft community is a load of baloney to them. However, if they were on the same page as the consensus – not viewing Membou as worthy of the No. 7 pick until his combine performance – they should think hard about whether a great workout is enough to use the seventh overall pick on him.
When you dig into Membou’s film, the potential is obvious. He blends his freakish athletic gifts with pristine technique in pass protection, while his run-blocking upside speaks for itself. Countless draft analysts have been singing his praises since December. As concerning as it may be that he is rising up the boards late, it is absolutely plausible that Membou has been a first-round prospect all along and simply did not receive the hype he deserves until the national media saw his combine display.
Below is a collection of draft analysts who praised Membou’s film (and labeled him a first-round prospect) before his combine performance.
This pick would check plenty of boxes. The need is massive; Membou would instantly be the Jets’ starting right tackle (their current penciled-in starter does not cut it). The positional value is there, especially compared to tight end Tyler Warren. Membou also offers great statistical production, an awesome physical profile, and a young age.
It just comes down to how the Jets feel about his on-field scouting report. If Darren Mougey likes Membou’s technique and intangibles, the Missouri product is an extremely enticing option at No. 7. He would join forces with Olu Fashanu, John Simpson, Joe Tippmann, and Alijah Vera-Tucker to complete one of the youngest and most talented offensive lines in Jets franchise history.
