NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah recently held a conference call in the days leading up to the 2025 NFL Draft (April 24-26).
There has been a lot of debate about whether the Jets should draft a right tackle or a tight end, both of which are significant needs.
Jeremiah believes that at seventh overall, the Jets will acquire an impactful player regardless of their decision.
“They could kind of put the finishing piece on the offensive line with someone like [Armand] Membou, who he’d be comfortable just plugging right in at right tackle,” Jeremiah said. “All of a sudden, now what was an endless journey to fix the offensive line, you could almost say is pretty complete with him. To me, as a player, just simply how you grade him, I would have both those tight ends over him.
“If they want to stay best available and stay true to the board, I would take Tyler Warren, and I wouldn’t hesitate to take Colston Loveland either. I think both those guys are worthy of being selected there.”
Selecting an offensive lineman versus a tight end is a debate the Jets brass had a year ago, days before the draft. Some analysts believed the Jets would select tight end Brock Bowers, but they drafted left tackle Olu Fashanu instead.
Bowers was drafted by the Raiders and was selected as a first-team All-Pro and was also a Pro Bowl selection after registering 112 catches for 1,194 yards and seven touchdowns. On the other hand, Fashanu started seven games as a rookie and was solid during his 534 snaps.
Some Jets fans may be disinterested in the team drafting another offensive lineman in the first round, but the right side of the line now needs to be addressed. Morgan Moses, who started 14 games a season ago, signed with the rival Patriots last month. At 6-4, 332 pounds, Membou has the size and athleticism to excel in a zone-blocking scheme, much like the one he ran at Missouri.
Membou possesses both the quickness and power to win his one-on-one matchups against defenders consistently. He also has the length and footwork to keep pass rushers on an island.
During his three-year college career at Missouri, Membou allowed a total of three sacks. He didn’t allow a single sack while only giving up eight total pressures on 827 pass-blocking snaps last season.
Membou is expected to be on the board when the Jets pick, but they are also debating whether to draft Warren because the Jets could also use a playmaker in the passing game.
Tyler Conklin, who registered 170 catches from 2022-24 for the Jets, signed with the Chargers this offseason. That leaves Jeremy Ruckert, who has 35 receptions in three NFL seasons as the most productive tight end on the Jets’ roster.
Both Warren and Loveland have been viewed as the top tight ends available in this year’s draft. Warren is a well-rounded tight end who can be used as an in-line blocker, but also was a productive pass catcher for the Nittany Lions. He finished second in the nation in receptions (104) while also registering 1,233 yards and eight touchdowns.
Like Warren, Loveland is also an outstanding pass catcher who can find holes in zone defenses, and he also boasts exceptional speed, considering he stands at 6-5, 245 pounds. In 10 games for the Wolverines last season, Loveland registered 56 catches for 582 yards and one touchdown despite Michigan’s uneven quarterback play.
This year’s draft class has a lot of depth at tight end, which could be why the Jets wait until Round 2 to select one. The offensive line depth isn’t nearly as strong as it was a year ago. If the Jets pass on Membou or Texas tackle Kelvin Banks at seventh overall, Jeremiah hinted that waiting to address the hole at right tackle in the second round could be detrimental.
“If they did go with a tight end there and took the highest available player, you start looking at the tackles once you get to the next rounds,” Jeremiah said. “I don’t think you’re going to love the tackle options that are going to be there at that point in time at pick 42. I think [Josh] Simmons is gone, I think [Josh] Conerly is gone. Now you start getting into, like, [Boston College’s] Ozzy Trapilo is maybe a starting right tackle. That’s probably a little bit early for him.
“Emery Jones is a possibility from LSU. You’ve got a big upside play and raw player in Charles Grant from William & Mary, but I think he is more of a third-round guy who is going to take some time. If you are looking at trying to package the two together, I would like the tight ends I would be looking at in the second round more than I would like the tackles.
“That could inform their decision that they say, ‘hey, let’s just solve the offensive line once and for all and be done with it,’ and you take Armand Membou, or if you take Banks, one of those guys, now we’ve solved the offensive line. Now you’re looking at an [Elijah] Arroyo from Miami in the second round, which would be an upgrade over anybody they have in that position at tight end.”
