The experts seem to like what the Jets did.
Trying to grade a Draft class in the moment it is selected is a fraught process.
That doesn’t stop analysts from trying. Let’s see how members of the national media grade what the Jets did.
Before you start, refresh yourself on the most important rule of this process. Draft grades are stupid…unless they praise the Jets.
Charles McDonald (Yahoo Sports)
New York Jets
Grade: B+
Here’s why: The Jets continued to beef up their offensive line with Armand Membou, who can stay on the right side and gives New York potentially one of the best pair of bookend tackles in the league. Mason Taylor checks a lot of boxes at the tight end spot. He’s a reliable receiver, especially underneath and in the intermediate areas, and is a solid blocker who has kept improving. He’s reliable at a position where the Jets haven’t had a lot of reliability. Azareye’h Thomas is a big corner who replaces D.J. Reed and gives Sauce Gardner a potential long-term running mate. Head coach Aaron Glenn loves physical (you could even say handsy) cornerbacks and Thomas fits that to a tee. Malachi Moore is another personality fit and gives the Jets a physical hitter at safety.
Most interesting pick: Arian Smith, WR, Georgia
This one had me turning my head a bit. Smith can fly and take the top off of the defense. He has good ball-tracking skills downfield and should open up the offense. He is a raw route-runner who also has unreliable hands, and I thought there were some more polished options at receiver when the Jets took Smith. But, he can go deep and Justin Fields likes to throw deep, so that should be fun.
Grade: B+
The Jets passed over the draft’s top tight ends to pick a promising but raw lineman in Membou. Taylor met that need for an athletic receiving threat in Round 2, though, and Thomas could be a steal if overcoming his average long speed with physical downfield coverage.
Smith’s potential as a speed threat can come to fruition if he’s able to concentrate on the ball through the catch. They upgraded the defense with the experienced Moore and active Mauigoa and then switched future Day 3 picks to grab a bargain edge in Baron. The Jets chose not to select a quarterback to compete with Justin Fields.
New York Jets
Aaron Glenn saw firsthand with the Detroit Lions what a dominant offensive line can do for a club, and the first-round selection of Armand Membou reflects a desire for physicality over flash. Membou’s seek-and-destroy playing style as a run-blocker is a nice complement to a running game centered around Justin Fields and Breece Hall. Speaking of Fields, he leaned heavily on playmaking tight ends in his previous NFL stops, and the Jets landed arguably the most sure-handed big pass-catcher of this class with Mason Taylor.
Glenn, a former cornerback himself, knows better than most that 40-yard dash times can be overrated and that the highly physical and instinctive Azareye’h Thomas plays faster than he timed. He’ll prove a steal at No. 73 overall. Of the Jets’ Day 3 picks, I liked the awareness and physicality of safety Malachi Moore and Francisco Mauigoa most.
Grade: B-
New York Jets: B+
1 (7): T Armand Membou, Missouri
Membou — The Jets slot Membou into the one major hole — right tackle — on what looks like a young, promising offensive line. Membou is an elite athlete at over 330 pounds, and he put it all together on the field in 2024, earning PFF pass-blocking and run-blocking grades above 85.0. He should immediately provide a boost as a zone run blocker, as he graded out in the 87th percentile among qualifiers on such plays last season.
2 (42): TE Mason Taylor, LSU
Taylor — Taylor played over 2,300 snaps across three seasons at LSU, and he doesn’t turn 21 years old until May. His receiving production (1.09 yards per route run) wasn’t overly impressive across those three seasons, but he has enough traits to get excited about his ability to continue to develop into a more productive player in the NFL. The Jets needed a tight end and, more generally, young pass catchers with upside behind Garrett Wilson.
3 (73): Azareye’h Thomas, Florida State
Thomas — After selecting offensive players with their first two picks, the Jets turn their attention to the other side of the ball. Thomas is a 6-foot-2 press corner who finished the 2024 season with a 76.5 coverage grade. He allowed just a 50.2 passer rating into his coverage and didn’t give up a single touchdown last season.
4 (110): WR Arian Smith, Georgia
Smith — Smith has plenty of athletic tools, and the Jets are clearly betting on his upside after he finished at No. 343 on the PFF Big Board. He stepped into a full-time role for the first time in 2024, earning a 57.1 PFF grade with 10 drops on 48 receptions and just a 22% contested-catch rate.
4 (130): S Malachi Moore, Alabama
Moore — Moore was the No. 186-ranked player on the PFF Big Board. He is a well-rounded safety who posted a 91.8 PFF coverage grade and an 81.0 PFF run-defense grade in 2024.
5 (162): LB Francisco Mauigoa, Miami
Mauigoa — In his final two seasons as a Hurricane, Mauigoa tallied 46 total pressures in a much different role compared to his first two seasons in college at Washington State.
5 (176): EDGE Tyler Baron, Miami (FL)
Baron — Baron provides some pass-rushing depth for the Jets and their new coaching staff. He recorded 10 sacks, 10 quarterback hits and 28 hurries in 2024, finishing the season with an 84.4 PFF pass-rushing grade.
Grade: A-
There’s nothing super flashy about the Jets’ draft, but I thought their first three picks in particular were rock solid. Missouri tackle Armand Membou completes the team’s remodel on the offensive line, and dropping him in at right tackle gives New York a real chance to field one of the best young lines in the league. LSU tight end Mason Taylor is an athletic and reliable do-it-all playmaker, bringing strong hands in the pass game with burgeoning blocking chops in the run game. And cornerback Azareye’h could be an early starter for this team. The former Florida State standout is long and aggressive, showing a penchant for crowding receivers at the line and outmuscling them in their routes. This team badly needed an infusion of early contributors in this draft, and it looks like they achieved that goal.