Who Is Armand Membou? Why Jets Found Their Next Star

After much speculation, the New York Jets have made their first National Football League pick in the Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey era.

Over the last few weeks, speculation grew about the No. 7 pick in the draft. There were rumors that the Jets could look to move the pick but New York didn't end up doing that. If the Jets kept the pick, there were rumors that the franchise would look to either improve the offensive line or the tight end position.

It sounds like the rumors were pretty close to accurate. The Jets made their pick on Thursday night and selected Missouri offensive tackle Armand Membou out of Missouri. He was the popular pick in mock drafts heading into the NFL Draft, although speculation and rumors grew at the buzzer that Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. could be the guy. Well, the Jets got their man and got the guy who was the most talked-about option in Membou.

Adding an offensive tackle with the No. 7 pick may not be the flashiest move, but it is a good one. When you take a look at this offense, there's a real reason for hope. Justin Fields is in town and the Jets have three capable running backs led by Breece Hall. This doesn't even include the passing game led by Garrett Wilson. Last year, the Jets did a good job adding to the line by selecting Olu Fashanu and now Membou will join him and help secure this line for at least the next four or five years.

So, why Membou? He's just 21 years old and was ranked as the No. 1 offensive tackle in this draft class by ESPN.

"Membou tested well at the combine -- he ran a 4.91-second 40-yard dash at 332 pounds. Among offensive linemen, he had the best broad jump, tied for the second-best performance on the bench and tied for the fourth-best vertical jump," ESPN's Steve Muench said. "The testing reenforces what the tape shows. He played in a zone-heavy scheme at Missouri, and he moves exceptionally well for his size. Membou seals the edge, stays connected to defensive linemen as he works to the second level and walls off linebackers in space.

"He is also an explosive drive blocker with the strength to move defenders off the ball. He has the skill set to develop into an outstanding pass blocker, and he has the body control to recover when he gets caught out of position. Membou is quick enough to handle speed off the edge even though he has shorter arms for the position."

Glenn made it clear shortly after he was hired that you build a roster out by the NFL Draft and not free agency. Adding Membou gives the Jets a player with Pro Bow-upside at a relatively cheap cost for the next few years. There are still playmakers available in free agency who can help this team. But, no one at the level of Membou. It might be the flashiest pick, but it will significantly help the Jets offense in 2025.

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