When an organization drafts a player in the top 10, fans want to see immediate production out of him. That is just the way the modern NFL has changed over the years.

For the New York Jets and seventh overall pick Armand Membou, though, patience is a virtue the fanbase will need to learn.

In his first camp in the NFL, Membou was something of a mixed bag. He got beat repeatedly during early practices, but held his own as the weeks wore on. In preseason action, he wasn’t perfect, but still showed the kind of upside worthy of a top 10 pick.

As the preseason draws to a close, Membou and the Jets now set their sights toward the regular season – and some of the toughest matchups one could face as he gets his start at right tackle.

Aaron Glenn speaks out on Armand Membou

Going up against a Defensive Player of the Year winner in T.J. Watt is always a challenge. Doing so in your first ever start is about as tough as it gets.

That’s the reality Membou will face when the Jets take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1.

It’s not just Watt, though. In New York’s first six games of the 2025 season, they take on quality edge rushers like Gregory Rousseau, Joey Bosa, Bradley Chubb, Chop Robinson, Micah Parsons, Nik Bonitto, and Jonathon Cooper.

That is the quintessential “trial by fire” start for a young tackle like Membou.

Perhaps that is why Jets head coach Aaron Glenn made his expectations quite clear for New York’s top rookie.

“That is one of the hardest positions to come in at as a rookie and have everything down pat,” Glenn said after the team’s final preseason game on Friday. “I don’t know too many guys that, at that position, can do that.

“It’s going to be a learning curve for him, and that’s okay. He’s going to be a damn good player for us. I have all the confidence in the world for him.”

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There are many excellent tackles who struggled mightily in their rookie seasons and went on to have great careers. One of the most notable recent examples is New York Giants Pro Bowler Andrew Thomas. The former fourth overall pick of the 2020 draft struggled mightily in his first season, but was able to learn from his mistakes.

Now, he’s one of the best left tackles in all of football.

Membou, despite playing on the right side, could have a similar career trajectory. It is natural for fans to demand excellence immediately from a player of Membou’s stature, especially due to his draft status as a top 10 pick.

It’s just as important for Glenn and the coaching staff to understand that trials will come for their top rookie. Keeping his confidence up will be an important part of the young tackle’s development.

“I think it’s harder to play that position than corner or receiver or anything like that because of the nature of the guys that you go against on a daily basis,” Glenn said. “But I look forward to how he progresses throughout the season because he’s going to be a good one for us.”

Membou has held his own during the preseason despite some obvious learning adjustments. The test is about to get much harder, though, once the regular season kicks off.

That is why the Jets continue to provide fair expectations for the seventh overall pick.

They believe they have something special in him – even if it might take some time to come to fruition.