The New York Jets knew Armand Membou was oozing with potential.
It’s why they chose him seventh overall in the 2025 NFL draft.
Membou displayed that potential throughout his rookie season. Going into 2026, he is expected to grow into one of the better right tackles in the NFL.
But what if he already is one of the NFL’s best right tackles?
Offensive line trainer and analyst Brandon Thorn scouted, rated, and ranked over 170 offensive linemen in an article for Bleacher Report. Membou received a 78 grade, placing him fourth-best among right tackles.
- Lane Johnson, Eagles (95)
- Joe Alt, Chargers (83)
- Spencer Brown, Bills (83)
- Armand Membou, Jets (78)
- Luke Goedeke, Buccaneers (78)
“Membou plays with natural leverage, core-strength and explosive power, giving him the ability to flip leverage late in reps and create full-body knockdowns at a rare rate for a young blocker,” wrote Thorn. “His burst and power also appeared on backside cutoffs, climbs and downfield finishes, where he could get defenders on their heels and steer them into displacement.”
As for where Membou can improve, Thorn wrote, “Refinement and nuance remain a work in progress. In the run game, Membou can drop his eyes and get too heavy on contact, especially on frontside kickouts, leaving him susceptible to overextension. In pass protection, his outside hand can land too far down the middle of rushers, giving savvy edge defenders a path to set him up inside before attacking high side.”
It’s not the first time this offseason that Membou has been mentioned as a player who already deserves elite consideration. In ESPN’s survey of over 70 scouts, executives, and coaches ranking the best tackles in the NFL (regardless of side), Membou was among those who received votes.
New York has an extremely special talent on the right side of their offensive line. If all goes according to plan, Membou could make a case to be the team’s best player in due time.
