Jets Build Revamped Offensive Line Using No. 7 Overall Pick
The New York Jets have done stealthily in piecing together one of the more intriguing offensive lines in the league. With new head coach Aaron Glenn and new general manager Darren Mougey, the franchise is moving quietly to redefine itself on a deliberate, physical level. Rather than target more glamorous skill-position guys in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Jets opted to strengthen from within. With the selection of Missouri’s Armand Membou, they added a potential franchise right tackle to an already promising unit.
Armand Membou: The Cornerstone Right Tackle
With the No. 7 overall pick, the Jets could have easily drafted more explosive playmakers. Tight end Tyler Warren or receiver Tetairoa McMillan were the fashionable predictions. However, New York went another way—a path that suggests they could be prioritizing gritty football—by selecting Armand Membou. The Missouri product was widely regarded as one of the most athletic and dominant linemen in the 2025 class.
Membou’s journey from raw, late-blooming talent to a top-10 draft prospect is worth telling. He did not pick up football until eighth grade and reported to high school at 6-foot-185 pounds before a growth spurt reconfigured his body and career. At Missouri, he was a force, particularly in his junior year when he did not surrender a sack on 411 pass-blocking attempts. His mix of physical strength, balance in the wrestling tradition, and top-shelf athleticism (4.91 40, 34-inch vertical) allowed him to be a presence the Jets could not ignore as they searched for long-term tackle stability.
A New Look Offensive Line for the New Era
Membou’s signing completes a young, formidable line of offense that the Jets expect to dominate over the next ten years. He is joined by fellow former first-round pick Olu Fashanu, who occupies the left tackle position. The two bookends provide the Jes with a unique set of youth, talent, and athleticism on the perimeter. It’s a tandem that has the potential to be one of the top tackle tandems in the NFL if the two players remain healthy.
Internally, the Jets possess a strong trio that fills out one of the league’s most thrilling units. In the middle is Joe Tippmann, a 2023 second-round pick with great football intelligence and sure hands. On the left side is veteran John Simpson, the team’s oldest at just 27, with grit and dependability. Right guard Alijah Vera-Tucker, a first-round selection in 2021, has shown his versatility and reliability and now, at last, gets to stay in one spot.
The objective is clear: protect Justin Fields, drive a downhill run attack, and wear defenses out. Breece Hall, Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis will pound behind a front built to create movement and impose will. For an offense that was once oft-criticized as being “offseason champions,” the Jets are finally all in on anything but style. Their investment in the offensive line isn’t just smart—it’s potentially revolutionary.
Final Thoughts
The Jets did not take the flash route during the 2025 NFL Draft. They took the smart, building block selection to acquire Membou and solidify their line of scrimmage. If their young group meshes, New York can finally have a solid, elite unit on the front. That could unlock Justin Fields—or protect their next franchise QB.
