NY Jets stole a page from Lions playbook with Armand Membou pick

The New York Jets made a smart, safe pick when they selected Missouri offensive tackle Armand Membou with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. And in doing so, they may have also taken a page straight out of the Detroit Lions’ playbook.

In 2021, the Lions made offensive tackle Penei Sewell their first pick of the Brad Holmes era, committing to building the foundation of their offense from the trenches out.

That decision proved pivotal in reshaping Detroit’s identity and ushering in one of the most physical and cohesive offensive lines in the league. Now, the Jets appear to be following the same formula.

New head coach Aaron Glenn and offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand both came over from Detroit this offseason, and their influence is already showing. Much like Sewell became a tone-setting right tackle in Detroit, Membou is expected to anchor the Jets' offensive line for years to come.

With the Membou pick, the Jets have made it clear how they want to build under their new regime. It starts up front, and they believe they just found their version of Penei Sewell.

The NY Jets hope Armand Membou can be their Penei Sewell

Sewell was equal parts a talent pick as he was a culture pick for the Lions. A violent finisher with elite movement skills and top-tier size and athleticism, Sewell instantly gave Detroit a tone-setter on the offensive line.

Over the next few years, the Lions methodically built around him, adding complementary pieces and establishing one of the NFL’s best units in the trenches. By 2023, that offensive line was the identity of a playoff-caliber team.

The Jets believe Membou can do something similar in New York. While not quite the same caliber of prospect as Sewell, Membou shares a lot of the same traits: powerful, disciplined, nasty in the run game, and intelligent enough to handle the mental load of an NFL offensive line.

Membou might not have Sewell’s raw ceiling, but he's a refined pass protector, impressive run blocker, and offers true plug-and-play ability on Day 1. That’s exactly what the Jets need.

New York’s offensive line has been a revolving door for the last decade-plus, and this regime is looking to fix that once and for all. Membou is projected to start immediately at right tackle, giving the Jets long-term security opposite 2024 first-round pick Olu Fashanu.

If both players reach their potential, the Jets could be set at tackle for the next decade, just like Detroit has been with Sewell and Taylor Decker.

Glenn and Engstrand saw firsthand how stabilizing a dominant offensive line can be, especially for a developing quarterback. That’s the same bet they’re making in New York.

Membou might not generate the flashiest headlines, but if he pans out the way the Jets believe he will, this pick could end up being the defining move of the Glenn era, just like Sewell was in Detroit.

If Membou becomes anything close to what Sewell has been for Detroit, the Jets will have nailed this pick. It's hard to complain about the new Jets regime following the Lions' blueprint.

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