Jets draft LSU tight end Mason Taylor, son of former player Jason Taylor
LSU tight end Mason Taylor (86) against Arkansas during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, in Fayetteville, Ark. Credit: AP/Michael Woods
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Justin Fields has a new target in the passing game in a player who was Taylor-made to be a Jet.
The Jets drafted LSU tight end Mason Taylor with the No. 42 pick in the second round of the NFL Draft on Friday night. Taylor is the son of Hall of Fame defensive end Jason Taylor, a former longtime Dolphin who spent one season with the Jets in 2010.
Mason Taylor was only 6 years old at that time, but he remembers living in Manhattan and spending a lot of time playing and running around in Central Park with his siblings. He’s looking forward to calling MetLife Stadium home now.
“It was fun, it was a blast,” Taylor said on a Zoom call Friday night. “It’s definitely crazy and eye-opening that I’ll be there now older. It’s just an amazing experience and I’m just so excited for this.”
Tight end was a position of need for the Jets, who lost Tyler Conklin to the Chargers in free agency. Taylor joins a room that includes Lindenhurst product Jeremy Ruckert, Stone Smartt and Zack Kuntz.
New general manager Darren Mougey said Ruckert “could take the next step” this season. Ruckert, a third-round pick in 2022, has caught 35 passes for 264 yards in the past two seasons, but the Jets were expected to grab a tight end in this draft.
The 6-5, 251-pound Taylor caught 55 passes for 546 yards and two touchdowns as a junior. He considers himself a complete tight end and is confident that he will produce for the Jets.
“I’ll be that guy in those clutch moments to step up on third downs when chains need to be moved,” Taylor said. “When it’s a must-get touchdown, being that guy that can be counted on and be the safety blanket for a quarterback and be that guy that’s reliable in the pass game but also in the run game. Being that complete every-down tight end that I pride myself on is something I really look forward to showing Jets fans.”
The Jets drafted their first defensive player in the third round on Friday, taking Florida State cornerback Azareye’h Thomas with the No. 73 pick.
The Jets go into Day 3 of the draft with five picks — one in the fourth round (No. 110), two in the fifth (145, 162) and two in the sixth (186, 207). Among their needs are defensive tackle, wide receiver, safety and quarterback.
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
