Mason Taylor’s NFL comparison will have Jets fans dreaming of an All-Pro future

Mason Taylor hasn't played a snap in the NFL yet, but the New York Jets' rookie tight end is already drawing some lofty comparisons.

The 42nd overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Taylor was one of the most productive tight ends in LSU history and one of the most talented players at his position in this draft class. His combination of athleticism and NFL lineage has scouts dreaming big.

According to a pre-draft scouting report from Bleacher Report's Dame Parson, Taylor’s NFL comparison is none other than three-time Pro Bowler and former All-Pro Mark Andrews.

Andrews has become one of the premier tight ends in the league since being drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft. If Taylor can come close to that kind of impact, the Jets will have found a major building block for their offense.

This article is part of an ongoing series diving into the NFL comparisons for each of the Jets' 2025 draft picks. You can read the first installment on Armand Membou here.

Mason Taylor's NFL comparison is Mark Andrews

Andrews didn’t enter the NFL with elite blocking chops or lofty first-round expectations. He was a Day 2 pick in 2018, drafted behind Hayden Hurst in the same class, and initially viewed more as a big-bodied slot receiver than a traditional tight end.

Yet, his route running and reliability as a pass catcher helped him quickly rise to the top of Baltimore’s depth chart. He outproduced and out-snapped Hurst as a rookie and became a staple in the Ravens’ offense, eventually blossoming into a first-team All-Pro and one of the league’s most dynamic tight ends.

That’s the mold many scouts see for Taylor. Like Andrews, Taylor was selected on Day 2 and enters the NFL with questions about his ability to consistently hold up as an in-line blocker.

But also like Andrews, Taylor is a smooth, savvy athlete with natural receiving instincts, strong hands, and a feel for creating separation in space. He earned third-team All-SEC honors in 2024 and left LSU as the program’s all-time leader in tight end receptions and receiving yards.

There’s also a statistical parallel between the two. Andrews tallied 62 receptions for 958 yards and eight touchdowns in his final season at Oklahoma, operating as a go-to target in a high-octane offense.

Taylor’s numbers weren’t quite as flashy — 55 catches for 546 yards and two touchdowns in 2024 — but LSU’s offense doesn't feature tight ends as heavily. That makes his consistent production over three years even more impressive.

And with a 6-foot-5, 251-pound frame and the versatility to align all over the formation, Taylor looks the part of a modern-day “F” tight end. He probably even has more in-line blocking ability coming out of college than Andrews had.

For the Jets, the expectation is that Taylor will contribute right away. It shouldn't be too difficult for Taylor to beat out the likes of Jeremy Ruckert, Stone Smartt, and Zack Kuntz for the starting job this summer.

If all goes according to plan, Taylor could develop into the kind of reliable mismatch weapon the Jets have been missing at the tight end position, and maybe even follow a similar trajectory to one of the NFL's best.

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