Best NFL Draft Fits for Mizzou OL Armand Membou

3 landing spots where Missouri's star offensive lineman could slot in this year's draft.

Oct 12, 2024; Amherst, Massachusetts, USA; Missouri Tigers offensive lineman Armand Membou (79) lines up against the Massachusetts Minutemen during the first half at Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Questions swirling around the positional future of Missouri Tigers lineman Armand Membou are still swirling in draft circles, just a day out from the start of the 2025 NFL draft.

At this point, it sounds like Membou will be a first-round selection. To go even further, NFL draft analyst Adam Schefter went so far as to say that he's a surefire top-10 pick. Regardless of what position he ends up playing as a professional, he has the upside to be successful at both. That's what makes him such an intriguing pick for the top 10 of this year's class.

Here's a peak at three potential landing spots for Membou as the draft approaches.

New York Jets

Round 1, Pick 7

The Jets have multiple holes on their roster, but the right tackle spot might be the most significant. With former Pittsburgh Panther Carter Warren slated to start at the spot, Membou could come in and start from day one. The offensive line was not an area New York addressed during free agency and they now have the perfect opportunity to add young talent.

New York has found success in the past with tweener offensive linemen, turning right guard Alijah Vera-Tucker into a star right guard. When healthy, Vera-Tucker had the 10th-best pass-blocking grade in the entire NFL this past season. If they can follow the same path and success with Membou, the Jets' offensive line, alongside Olu Fashanu, Joe Tippmann and John Simpson, will see much-needed improvements.

Membou has long been linked to the Jets as the offseason progressed and the fit is perfect. Membou is a dominant outside zone blocker and will slot in just fine at right tackle for New York, making the long-guessed prediction very reasonable.

"New York is no stranger to Membou speculation," Patrick McAvoy of New York Jets on SI wrote. "That has been the case all offseason to this point and it will finally end on Thursday with the Jets either bringing him to town or going in a different direction.

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Chicago Bears

Round 1, Pick 10

Chicago's offensive line is one piece away from being one of the better ones in the NFL. That single weakness happens to be at right tackle, where former first-round pick Darnell Wright has struggled in his first few seasons with the Bears.

That's where Membou comes in. With his combination of athleticism, technical prowess and intelligence, he might be exactly what Chicago needs to round out its offensive line. According to a former Bears front-line member, that's exactly why the Missouri product should be the pick at No. 10.

"The other key thing, explosion," former Bears offensive lineman Kyle Long said. "You can't teach it, you're born with it and this guy has it."

With all of that being said, the odds of Membou slipping to the tenth pick is very low. There are tackle-needy teams ahead of Chicago and Membou falling to ten would be a true blessing. If New England, New York or Las Vegas don't scoop him up, Chicago could land a steal with their first draft pick. ee

New England Patriots

Round 1, Pick 4

New England's case for selecting Membou is the exact opposite compared to Chicago's situation. At number four, Membou might be a bit of a reach, depending on how they view LSU's Will Campbell. If the Patriots aren't going off consensus draft boards, they might get crazy and take Membou.

It's not like this would be a massive reach, but there is a general consensus that Campbell is the best offensive lineman in the class. Some might have Texas's Kelvin Banks Jr. ahead of Membou as well, so him landing with the Patriots would come as a surprise to many

"Other names like Will Campbell and Kelvin Banks Jr. have landed hype themselves to be a great option at the position in the class, but perhaps with the combination of Membou's physical and technical traits, New England could prefer him over the field," Jared Koch of New England Patriots on SI wrote.

The positional versatility with Membou in New England would be put to use for the first time on this list. Luckily for both Membou and New England in this scenario, he is a freak athlete and can be flexed to multiple spots on the line. It might even be a possibility for Membou to play on the left side at either tackle or guard, with Morgan Moses and Mike Onwenu on the opposite side.