Mason Taylor, LSU
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Former LSU tight end Mason Taylor working out at his Pro Day this offseason.
The New York Jets haven’t had a tight end worth a damn in a very long time. That is all set to change in 2025.
Jacob Robinson of The Athletic revealed that rookie tight end Mason Taylor “has 2023 Cole Kmet-like upside: With [Justin] Fields as his primary quarterback, Kmet caught 73 passes for 719 yards and six touchdowns.”
If Taylor had the same season as Kmet in 2023, he would rewrite the Jets’ record books. 73 receptions for 719 receiving yards and scoring six touchdowns would each be the most ever by a rookie tight end in Jets franchise history.
In terms of overall placement in history, regardless of being a rookie, the 73 catches would be the second most ever for a tight end. The 719 receiving yards would rank No. 9 all-time among Jets tight ends. Finally, the six scores would be tied for fifth all-time among Jets tight ends.
Taylor Predicted to Have One of the Biggest Impacts of Non-First Round Rookies
Field Yates was tasked with ranking the non-round one rookies “who could star this NFL season” for ESPN.
Yates put Taylor as the No. 7-ranked offensive player on his list. The former LSU product was the only rookie tight end who made the rankings.
“The Jets’ hole at tight end was one of the most glaring position needs in the league entering the draft,” Yates explained. “Their top returning player, Jeremy Ruckert, has zero touchdowns in three seasons. But Taylor is a pro-ready fix. He can hold his own as a blocker and has the ultrareliable hands necessary to work the middle of the field and provide a safety net for quarterback Justin Fields.”
To Yates’ point, Taylor doesn’t have much competition at the tight end position that’ll be fighting him for targets. Beyond his position, if you take a gander at wide receiver, there aren’t many names not named Garrett Wilson that’ll push Taylor either.
The Former LSU Product Is Already Turning Heads
“Jets second-round pick, tight end Mason Taylor, has caught everything thrown his way so far, leading to praise from [head coach Aaron] Glenn,” Robinson said.
At the 2025 NFL combine, Taylor also seemingly caught everything. That fluidity as a receiver and having experience in-line made him incredibly attractive.
“While comparing this year’s roster to the 2024 version, Zack found quarterback the most difficult to measure. Fields is an enigma. A first-round talent who has consistently struggled with passing — he completed 26.3 percent of tight-window passes, ranking 37th of 43 qualifying quarterbacks in 2024 — yet offers the combination of arm strength and mobility that coaches crave. He’s the opposite of Aaron Rodgers in many respects, which is probably a good thing for New York,” Robinson said.
Last season, Tyler Conklin was fifth on the team in receiving yards (449), fourth in receptions (51), and fourth in touchdowns (four).
If you go back to when Fields was the starter with the Chicago Bears, the target distribution was very different.
In 2021, Kmet, a tight end, was second on the team in receiving yards (612) and second in receptions (60). Consider this: two of the top four touchdown scorers on the team were both tight ends.
Taylor should have plenty of opportunities based on the offensive scheme and Fields’ affinity for tight ends.