The Jets believe they acquired the final piece of the jigsaw puzzle on the offensive line when they selected Missouri T Armand Membou with the No. 7 overall pick in Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay on Thursday night.
"The athletic profile is off the charts," a beaming HC Aaron Glenn said. "He's mean. He's nasty. He's tough. What we're trying to do on offense, he really fits what we're trying to do. So, it was a no-brainer. I mean, once the pick was there for us, man, it was like, this is the guy."
Membou, who last month turned 21 years old, was the second OT taken in the draft, following New England's selection of LSU RT Will Campbell at No. 4. New Orleans tapped Texas OT Kelvin Banks Jr. at No. 9 to complete the trifecta of trench warriors among the first 10 selections on Day 1.
"We feel really good about the way the board fell tonight," GM Darren Mougey said. "We've always kind of admired the film, his physicality. We knew he'd be a physical fit. Got to meet him at the combine in a formal interview. Had him in for a top 30 visit, actually, on his 21st birthday. and a great visit there, and then this last week, got a few really good phone calls with him. And we're excited that he was there and feel really good about the fit. He'll come in and compete to start that right tackle spot for us, very natural fit."
Membou (6-4, 332), was one of the top tackles available in this draft. He played and started in all 25 games for Mizzou the past two seasons, earning second-team All-SEC honors and playing in the Senior Bowl after last season. His metrics showed that he didn't give up any sacks or any QB hits in 411 pass-blocking snaps in 2024.
It was the second consecutive draft in which the Jets spent their Round 1 pick on a tackle after taking Penn State LT Olu Fashanu 11th overall a year ago. The selection of Membou potentially solidifies an O-line unit that has been in flux the past two seasons. Projecting from left to right, the Jets have Fashanu, John Simpson, Joe Tippman, Alijah Vera-Tucker and now add Membou to the mix. The team also signed Josh Meyers and Chukwuma Okorafor in free agency and have added depth with returnees Max Mitchell and Carter Warren.
"I come from two teams," Glenn said. "My previous last two coaching stops were where everything was about the offensive line. I was in New Orleans when we drafted Ryan Ramczyk. We had to run in Detroit. We started with Penei [Sewell], and I'm a firm believer that you start inside out so that we can build our line just as much as our defensive line.
"Also it not only helps you as a team, it helps your quarterback, it helps your running backs, it helps your passing game, and it just creates an identity within your team that you're trying to make sure that every team, when they watch film, they see that. So it's important to us to make sure we continue to look at that and continue to do that. And he's a guy like I said before, that easily fits who we are. So, the pick was really easy there."
Glenn was asked if he sensed any similarities between Sewell and Membou.
"The mentality and the demeanor of the player is exactly the same," the first-year HC said. "That's what attracted me to that player, first and foremost. And then you start seeing athletically, how he moves. I mean, did that attract you? And then when you get a chance to talk to the player and get to know exactly who he is as a person, did that attract you also? So, it was like a perfect storm on that guy being a Jet."
Mougey said that early in the college season there were questions about Membou opting for the draft and whether a guy who recently became old enough to drink alcohol in most states was ready for the NFL.
"These players come into the league, and we mentioned it, many of them are young," Mougey said. "This player just turned 21, but the jump from college to the NFL, I don't care how good you are, [even if] you're a top 10 pick, that's a huge jump. So there's a lot of development for all these players to come in here. I mean, this is a big jump. So yeah, we will look to push these guys and hope they all improve over time."
