In his latest two-round mock draft, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. predicts the New York Jets will shore up two gaping offensive holes with NFL-ready talent.
Here are the top 10 picks in Kiper’s mock draft:
- Tennessee Titans: Cam Ward, QB, Miami
- Cleveland Browns: Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado
- New York Giants: Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State
- New England Patriots: Will Campbell, OL, LSU
- Jacksonville Jaguars: Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
- Las Vegas Raiders: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
- New York Jets: Armand Membou, OT, Missouri
- Carolina Panthers: Jalon Walker, EDGE/LB, Georgia
- New Orleans Saints: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
- Chicago Bears: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
No. 7 overall: Armand Membou, OT, Missouri
“Membou is powerful and quick, and he started 30 games at right tackle in college. It would make a lot of sense for the Jets to pop him into the lineup there, with 2024 first-rounder Olu Fashanu manning the left side,” wrote Kiper Jr.
The longtime NFL draft analyst continued, “They signed quarterback Justin Fields, who has the league’s second-highest sack rate since being drafted in 2021 (10.5%). For this to work, the offensive line has to be good.”
Weighing in at 331 pounds, Membou turned heads at the NFL combine in Indianapolis with a 4.91-second 40-yard dash and elite explosion metrics, including a 34-inch vertical and 115-inch broad jump. His performance earned him a 9.89 Relative Athletic Score (RAS), placing him among the most athletic offensive line prospects in recent years.
Since late January, Membou has made a rapid climb up draft boards. Ranked No. 32 overall on NFL Mock Draft Database’s consensus big board on Jan. 28, he now sits at No. 10 and has emerged as a strong candidate to be selected by New York with the No. 7 overall pick.
At 21 years old, Membou anchored Missouri’s offensive line as the starting right tackle in 2024. He didn’t allow a single sack or quarterback hit across 411 pass-blocking snaps, giving up just eight total pressures all year. His work in the run game was just as impressive, earning an 87.6 grade from Pro Football Focus.
Despite signing Chukwuma Okorafor in free agency and retaining Max Mitchell and Carter Warren under contract, the Jets still lack a clear starting right tackle. Membou could anchor the right side for Gang Green and help solidify all five starting spots along the offensive line.
No. 42 overall: Elijah Arroyo, TE, Miami
“No Tyler Warren for the Jets in Round 1, but getting the top offensive tackle in the class in Armand Membou and then landing Arroyo in the second round is a win,” Kiper Jr. explained. “Arroyo can stretch the field for Justin Fields, and at 6-foot-5, 250 pounds, no one can cover him. New York could line him up all over and then uncork 50-50 balls to him to haul in.”
A four-star recruit hailing from Independence High School in Frisco, Texas, Arroyo committed to Miami, where he spent all four of his collegiate seasons.
As a true freshman at Miami in 2021, Arroyo played in 12 games with one start while posting just five receptions for 86 yards and a touchdown.
A sophomore in 2022, he appeared in four games for the Hurricanes before suffering a season-ending injury, a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
Arroyo continued to deal with injury, playing only six games in 2023. Throughout 2022 and 2023 combined, the tight end appeared in 11 games, posting 77 yards.
However, his 2024 season told a different story.
Fully recovered from injury, the Texas native played in 13 games, recording 590 yards and seven touchdowns on 35 receptions.
Ranked No. 64 on the consensus big board, Arroyo would provide much-needed depth in the Jets’ tight end room as both a receiving threat and red zone target.
