New York Jets offensive lineman Armand Membou was not selected as one of the top 10 offensive tackles in football, but he is on the radar.
ESPN NFL Insider Jeremy Fowler polled a panel of league executives, coaches, and scouts to determine the top 10 at every position. On each of those lists, he also included some honorable mention names and other players who received top 10 votes; Membou appeared in that final category.
Something that didn’t make the article, but Fowler included on social media was a quote on Membou.
“[Membou] can be the best run-blocker in the league,” per an anonymous NFL coordinator to Fowler. “Just a big, long, powerful man.”
“One name to keep an eye on for future years: Jets RT Armand Membou,” Fowler wrote.
Joe Caporoso of the “Badlands” podcast reacted to that Fowler tweet by posting, “2nd team all pro potential this year — grateful the Pats passed on him.”
How Impressive What Membou Just Accomplished
Membou ending up in the others receiving votes category needs further context.
This was a top 10 list for offensive tackles, not just left or right tackles, the entire position. There are 32 teams in the NFL. That means there are 64 starting offensive tackles across the league. Fowler picked 10 of that group of 64.
Sure, Membou didn’t crack the top-10, but let’s break it down. The list included the top 10 players at the position, five honorable mentions, and seven other players received top 10 votes.
Membou made the top 22 when you count up all the players in the article at the offensive tackle position. That’s a pretty impressive feat considering Membou was a rookie last season.
Patriots May Have Made the Same Mistake the Jets Did
Caporoso thanked the Patriots for passing on Membou.
Membou, 22, was the No. 7 overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft. New England held the No. 4 overall pick in the first round. The Patriots took the first offensive lineman off the board in the draft, Will Campbell, out of LSU.
In college, he exclusively played left tackle (starting 38 games), according to Dane Brugler of The Athletic in “The Beast.”
In college, Membou exclusively played right tackle (starting 29 games), according to Dane Brugler of The Athletic in “The Beast.”
The Patriots needed a blindside protector after signing former Jet Morgan Moses to a three-year, $24 million deal. He was set to play right tackle, so New England wanted to fill the vacant spot on the other side. So they took Campbell.
Some people preferred Membou to Campbell during that pre-draft process, but a left tackle is considered a more premium position than right tackle.
During the 2020 NFL draft, the Jets were faced with the same scenario in the first round. When they were on the clock with the No. 11 overall pick, they had to choose between Mekhi Becton and Tristan Wirfs.
Becton was perceived as the left tackle, and Wirfs was perceived as a right tackle only prospect.
People had Wirfs over Becton as a prospect, but the premium tackle position conversation was in the mix. The Jets opted for Becton, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers got Wirfs in the first round with the No. 13 overall pick.
Becton flamed out with the Jets and left in free agency. Wirfs is a three-time All-Pro, a five-time Pro Bowler, and he was voted the third-best offensive tackle in football on Fowler’s rankings for ESPN.
Funny enough, Wirfs proved the doubters wrong and flipped from right tackle to left tackle in the middle of his NFL career. So, if the only reason the Jets passed on Wirfs for Becton was that, they certainly don’t look great now.
Could history be repeating itself in the Jets’ favor? After blowing the decision in 2020, did the Jets get lucky with the Patriots’ potential mistake? Some say it is so.
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