As a rookie last season, Jets right tackle Armand Membou knew he would need help adapting to the NFL after his stellar collegiate career at Missouri.

That lifeline developed quickly as Membou worked with veteran O-lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker for much of training camp. But then AVT sustained a torn triceps, which ended his season before it began. The next thing Membou knew, he was exchanging glances with a different guy -- Joe Tippmann -- who had been locked in a competition with Josh Myers at center.

"I feel like we just were able to bond really quickly, just making that connection on the right side, and it definitely helped me a lot my rookie year," Membou said on "The In Studio Show" with team reporter Eric Allen and the former WR Quincy Enunwa. "I mean, obviously it started having AVT go down, but then to have Tipp come in and play the way he did all 17 games, it really helped me [to] have that chemistry with my right guard."

Membou (6-4, 332), the Jets' No. 7 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, came into the league highly touted and never disappointed. He started all 17 games (as did the other four members of the starting OL), and played 1,047 of the offense's 1,048 snaps. Along with LT Olu Fashanu, the team's top pick, No. 11 overall, in the 2024 draft, the Jets are set up for years to come with stability and excellence at tackle.

Any notion of long-term success collided instantly for Membou, 22, when the Jets opened the 2025 NFL season against the Pittsburgh Steelers, which put Membou opposite veteran T.J. Watt, an eight-time Pro Bowler at LB.

"It was like my first game, against T.J. Watt," Membou said. "Obviously I'm hearing everything about him. I've watched him before when I was in college and back in high school and stuff. So my mindset was just go out there and just go compete as hard as I can. Don't think about the noise."

He added: "It wasn't really about him, it was more about me ... first game in the NFL. I just wanted to take it play by play, and just remind myself I'm here for a reason, so I'm just going to go out and compete my best."

For the record, Watt was held without a sack, had 2 TFL and made 5 total tackles in the game. Membou came through that game and didn't look back, playing in all 17 games while committing 11 total penalties (the majority on presnap infractions) and going the final 11 games without incurring a flag for holding.

Myers, the team's incumbent center, recently to note of the young teammate to his right: "Membou has the ability to be, like, great, great, great, one of the greats. There's a lot that needs to happen between now and then, but he's got the talent, he's got the mentality."

Along with Tippmann, Myers, Fashanu and John Simpson (who left in free agency), Membou was part of an offensive line that helped RB Breece Hall surpass 1,000 rushing yards as the Jets ground game totaled 2,096 yards, tied for 10th in the NFL. It's not a coincidence that Hall and Tippmann each recently received new long-term contract extensions with the team.

"I was really happy on that, because Breece, he's such a special player," Membou said. " He's just really, he's breezy, he's really good. So, seeing him staying in New York definitely made me really happy. He's just a cool guy. I feel like anyone can talk to him. He's obviously a great player, so definitely a guy you want on your team."

With the conclusion to last week's OTA sessions, the players have scattered before they return in mid-July for the start of training camp at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center as the Jets prepare for the start of the season at Tennessee in September. Membou said he's optimistic about what's to come.

"The vibes are pretty good," he said. "I thought this OTA has definitely been very competitive in a good way. Offense decent, we've been getting after, so I feel like the team is very definitely just determined to get better."