Jets’ Mason Taylor is building a much better rookie year than you think

29 receptions, 242 yards, one touchdown—it’s not an eight-game stat line you’ll tell stories to your grandchildren about.

Those are the numbers of New York Jets rookie tight end Mason Taylor, a second-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft and the third tight end off the board.

As the Jets’ highest-drafted tight end in 17 years and the son of Hall-of-Famer Jason Taylor (who doubles as a Jet killer and a former Jet who helped the team reach the AFC championship game), expectations were high for Taylor entering the 2025 season.

His fantasy stats, while far from putrid, aren’t as thrilling as some fans may have hoped. Three rookie tight ends currently have over 100 more yards than Taylor, and two of them were drafted after him. That can be concerning for a fanbase conditioned to expect second-round pass catchers to flame out.

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However, Taylor’s surface-level numbers belie the true potential he has shown this year.

Beyond the box score, Taylor is quietly having a much more tantalizing rookie season than many realize.

Seizing his role in the Jets’ offense

It must be understood that Taylor is in a horrendous situation to put up box-score numbers as a tight end.

The Jets have the league’s worst passing offense in terms of yards per game (156.5). With Justin Fields at quarterback, there just aren’t many targets, receptions, and yards to go around. New York has built a run-first offense around Fields’ athleticism, and when they do pass the ball, Fields is as inefficient a passer as they come.

Relative to his situation, Taylor’s numbers are excellent.

Here are the top rookie tight ends in receiving yards. Listed alongside their totals is the percentage of their team’s passing yards that they are responsible for.

1. Tyler Warren, IND: 492 (24.5%)
2. Orondo Gadsden II, LAC: 385 (18.8%)
3. Harold Fannin Jr., CLE: 352 (25.3%)
4. Mason Taylor, NYJ: 242 (19.3%)
5. Gunnar Helm, TEN: 172 (12.8%)

Taylor is responsible for almost 20% of the Jets’ aerial yardage, trailing just Warren and Fannin among rookie tight ends. While Gadsden has over 140 more yards than Taylor, he has contributed to a smaller share of his team’s passing attack than Taylor, as the Chargers are fourth in passing yards per game.

Taylor’s share of the Jets’ receptions is even more impressive compared to his peers.

1. Harold Fannin Jr., CLE: 38 (21.3%)
2. Tyler Warren, IND: 37 (21.2%)
3. Mason Taylor, NYJ: 29 (19.2%)
4. Orondo Gadsden II, LAC: 27 (13.2%)
5. Gunnar Helm, TEN: 19 (12.0%)

In this category, he is close behind Warren and Fannin in the race for the top spot.

It’s promising to see Taylor asserting himself as a primary target in the Jets’ passing game just eight weeks into his career. Tight ends often have one of the steepest growth curves of any position; just look at the first tight end drafted in this class, Colston Loveland, who has caught 11 passes in six games for Chicago.

When a young tight end attracts a large share of his team’s receiving production, it shows that he’s earned the trust of his coaches and quarterbacks.

Showing star TE traits

It hasn’t translated to the gaudiest box-score stats, but Taylor is dominating in his role. He is showing off traits that are commonly found in star tight ends.

Taylor has been phenomenal in contested catch situations, securing eight of his 10 contested targets, according to Pro Football Focus. His eight total contested catches rank second at the position behind Trey McBride, while his 80% contested catch rate is second behind Sam LaPorta (min. five contested targets).

The film is littered with examples of Taylor securing difficult grabs.

According to NFL Pro, Taylor has a catch rate over expected (CROE) of +31.2% across eight “tight window” targets (less than one yard of separation from the nearest defender). That’s the best mark among 32 tight ends with at least three tight window targets, which is quite impressive since Taylor’s eight tight window targets are the fifth-most.

In fact, if you include all positions, Taylor’s tight window CROE still ranks fourth-best among 90 players with at least five tight window targets, trailing three wide receivers.

1. WR Stefon Diggs, NE:
    +41.9% (10 targets)
2. WR Cooper Kupp, SEA: +36.6% (5 targets)
3. WR Kayshon Boutte, NE: +32.7% (11 targets)
4. TE Mason Taylor, NYJ: +31.2% (8 targets)
5. TE Trey McBride, ARI: +30.2% (10 targets)

Another noteworthy aspect of Taylor’s game is his ability to move the chains. Taylor hasn’t put up the gaudiest numbers in terms of yardage, as the Jets simply do not throw downfield, but that doesn’t mean he is gobbling up useless checkdowns. Taylor has been excellent at extending drives.

Taylor ranks seventh among tight ends with 18 receiving first downs. He’s shown a tremendous feel for the first down marker, often knowing exactly what he must do to get the required yardage.

Blocking progress

Coming out of LSU, Taylor was a highly appealing prospect as a pass catcher. The reason he didn’t go in the first round was his blocking. Taylor had the tools to develop into a quality NFL blocker, but his consistency was a work in progress.

In a run-first Jets offense, it was going to be important for Taylor to develop his blocking skills to get on the field early and often in his rookie year. He apparently impressed the coaches in that area, as he’s been starting and playing over 80% of the snaps since his NFL debut.

It’s been a rocky ride for Taylor as a blocker. However, the trial by fire seems to be paying off, as Taylor has steadily progressed since a poor start.

Through Week 3, Taylor had a 53.1 run-blocking grade at Pro Football Focus, ranking 60th out of 84 qualified tight ends. Over five games since then, he’s jumped to 66.2, placing 21st out of 92 qualifiers.

Pass protection remains an area of concern for Taylor. The Jets have relied on him a decent amount in that area, as he ranks 17th among tight ends with 24 pass-blocking reps, but the results have been poor. Taylor has allowed six total pressures, two more than any tight end. That includes two sacks.

Still, the more Taylor improves as a run blocker, the more invaluable he becomes for the Jets’ offense. He played above 93% of the Jets’ offensive snaps in two of the last three games after peaking at 88% through five games. It shows that the Jets are gaining confidence in his ability to handle any situation, run or pass.

Jets could have a top-tier TE brewing

It hasn’t shown in his box-score production (and that likely won’t change over the next nine games), but Taylor is flashing the makeup of a future star at tight end.

He’s getting open frequently enough to demand a high target share for a young tight end, securing an absurd percentage of his contested targets, consistently moving the chains, and improving as a run blocker.

As Jets fans watch Taylor develop over the next nine games, the key is to take their eyes off the box score. Taylor’s fantasy numbers might not get any better this year; that’s just the reality of playing with Justin Fields and Tyrod Taylor. But if the rookie continues thriving in areas he can control, he will put himself on the verge of a true statistical breakout in 2026 when the Jets ideally add a new quarterback.

Taylor is still only 21 years old. Doing what he’s doing would be impressive for any rookie tight end, let alone at that age. The sky is the limit for No. 85.

Perhaps the Jets finally nailed it with a Day 2 pass catcher.

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