RISE: Is Armand Membou Ready to Become the Jets’ Star Right Tackle and Dominate 2026?

The New York Jets' 2026 season hinges on the development of their 2025 draft class, particularly Armand Membou, the first-round pick who showed promise as a rookie but now faces the critical challenge of becoming a true star right tackle. While the Jets' focus is rightly on their high-profile 2026 rookies, the podcast argues that year two is where real growth happens—especially for players who already showed flashes of potential. Membou, already graded as slightly above average by advanced metrics, is positioned as the team’s most likely future star on the offensive line, with the potential to become a multiple-time Pro Bowler. The episode contrasts this with the expectations for day two picks like Mason Taylor and Azaria Thomas, who aren’t expected to be stars but must become reliable 'sidekicks'—supporting roles that complement top-tier talent like Kenyon Sadiq and D'Angelo Pons. For the day three picks, the bar is even lower: the goal isn’t stardom, but contribution. The Jets need these later-round players to provide depth, special teams value, and situational reliability—especially since most are paid near the league minimum. The real measure of success won’t be how many stars emerge, but how many role players step up to fill gaps and support the core. The episode concludes that the Jets’ future isn’t just about drafting talent, but about developing it—especially in the crucial second year of a rookie’s career.