Rookie tight finish Mason Taylor may very well be Jets’ No. 2 receiver
When inspecting the Jets offense in its present state, one obvious gap stands out. Who precisely would be the crew’s different large receivers moreover star Garrett Wilson?
The Jets have a bunch of underwhelming veterans — Allen Lazard, Josh Reynolds and Tyler Johnson — and a few unproven gamers like Malachi Corley, Xavier Gipson and fourth-round decide Arian Smith.
Right here’s one conclusion you’ll be able to draw: The crew’s second receiver could not be a receiver.
Enter Mason Taylor, the tight finish from LSU the Jets drafted within the second spherical.
Taylor appeared good in rookie minicamp and he needs to be the crew’s beginning tight finish within the fall.
Taylor left LSU as the college’s all-time main receiver amongst tight ends with 129 receptions, 1,308 yards and 6 touchdowns.
Jets coach Aaron Glenn mentioned the crew has a “clear imaginative and prescient” for the way they’ll make the most of Taylor on this offense.
“Mason is precisely who we thought he was,” Glenn mentioned throughout final weekend’s rookie camp. “He has dynamic actions. He can actually catch the ball. He did a great job catching the ball away from his physique. He’s fast to convey it in and get north and south precisely like we would like.”
Taylor involves the Jets with well-known bloodlines.
His father, Jason, was a Corridor of Fame defensive finish who spent one 12 months with the Jets however most of his profession with the Dolphins. His uncle Zach Thomas was a Corridor of Fame linebacker for the Dolphins.
“There’s excessive expectations, for positive, simply due to the final title,” Taylor mentioned. “However when individuals say, ‘Oh, let him have his shine, cease saying his dad’s title’ — I imply, I like it. We’re household, him and my Uncle Zach.
“I imply, I wish to be like them, so you’ll be able to name it ‘of their shadows,’ however I really like modeling my sport after theirs, their arduous work. I do know they’re on the protection, however simply their arduous work and the way they weren’t extremely recruited coming into the NFL — their arduous work, consistency each single day. I imply, I look as much as these guys, for positive.”
It is going to be fascinating to see simply how a lot the Jets characteristic Taylor.
New Jets offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand comes from the Lions together with Glenn.
Lions tight finish Sam LaPorta was focused 83 occasions final season, the sixth most amongst NFL tight ends.
New Jets quarterback Justin Fields is understood for concentrating on the tight finish.
He had good chemistry with Cole Kmet when he was with the Bears, and Taylor might turn out to be a main goal for him.
Some consider Taylor has loads of room nonetheless to develop after faculty.
He was a part of an LSU offense that appeared to all the time have high large receivers from Malik Nabers to Brian Thomas Jr.
It’s comprehensible why Taylor was not a focus of the Tigers offense.
“I wouldn’t say my stats could be higher with out them,” Taylor mentioned. “It was a blessing to play with them, and I’d by no means commerce that have for something. I performed with Malik, B.T., Kyren [Lacy] and all these individuals. It was an unforgettable expertise, and it’s one thing that’s helped my sport positively on the sector, for positive.”
