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Taken with the No. 42 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, Mason Taylor arrived in New York with modest fanfare.
But now, he's drawing early comparisons to none other than Kansas City Chiefs legend Travis Kelce-an eyebrow-raising juxtaposition considering Kelce's decade-plus of dominance that includes 10 Pro Bowl selections, three Super Bowl titles, and more than 1,500 career receiving yards in the playoffs alone.
NFL Network's Brian Baldinger offered high praise for New York's second-round pick, comparing the rookie tight end to one of the greatest to ever play the position.
"When you watch him run, there's just not a lot of guys that are that big at 6-foot-5, 250 that are that smooth," Baldinger said of Taylor. "Look, the production of Travis Kelce is off the charts, but he looks like Travis Kelce running."
That's no small statement, considering Kelce holds the record for most career playoff receptions in NFL history (178) and has built a Hall of Fame résumé since being drafted in the third round in 2013.
College stats tilt in Taylor's favor
Though Taylor has yet to take a snap in the NFL, there's one area where he's already outpaced Kelce: college production.
During his three-year tenure with the LSU Tigers, Mason Taylor logged 129 receptions for 1,308 yards and six touchdowns over 38 games. In contrast, Kelce, playing for the University of Cincinnati, totaled just 59 catches for 875 yards and 10 touchdowns across 35 games.
Granted, Kelce's breakout didn't come until late in his college career, and his NFL ascent has been nothing short of meteoric. But Taylor's early numbers suggest a polished product who could adapt to the pro game quickly-especially under a coaching staff that plans to utilize tight ends heavily in the ing game.
The Jets are clearly optimistic about Taylor's role in their offense moving forward. With veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins expected to lead a revamped offensive unit in New York, Taylor could be a key weapon in short-to-intermediate routes, red zone sets, and play-action schemes.
Given Cousins' history of success with tight ends in Minnesota, there's reason to believe Taylor's development could be accelerated.