Jets star wideout shares strong praise for rookie standout

The New York Jets may have just found a gem in rookie tight end Mason Taylor. The 2025 second-round pick out of LSU is already turning heads through two weeks of training camp, showing off the kind of polish and poise that made him an intriguing prospect throughout the draft process. 

Star wideout Garrett Wilson apparently has taken notice, and in a recent interview with the team's website he had some very high praise to hand out to the young tight end. 

"He's a dog," Wilson said. "It's consistent work. Consistent work is the best way I can put it. He's got great hands. He trusts his hands, and he finds a way to be open when he needs to be. Then the ball finds him and he makes the play. You know, for a position like that, he's as good as I've seen in just making the play, finishing the play and being open. That's a position where if you can do that for a long time, you are going to make a lot of money. So, I think he's got a bright future ahead of him, and he's really going to help us this year because he's a great player. He came in ready."

Taylor will work in a tight end room that seriously lacks proven production. Jeremy Ruckert and Stone Smartt have combined for just 66 catches and one touchdown in their careers, and other guys like Zack Kuntz and Neal Johnson have yet to make serious noise. This lack of production has opened the door wide open for Taylor to carve out a significant role, especially in an offense that is in need of a consistent receiving threat alongside Wilson. 

At LSU, Taylor racked up 129 receptions for 1,308 yards and six touchdowns over three seasons, and now he is proving that the production in college can translate at the next level. Jets offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand has been encouraged by what he’s seen so far. 

“He’s on the path to becoming what we expected and hoped he could be,” Engstrand said. “He’s done a really nice job this camp in the pass game and in the run game as well.”

With a Hall of Famer like Jason Taylor as his father, Mason has the pedigree and the opportunity to become something special. The team is now preparing for its first preseason game, which will be a massive opportunity for all rookies, especially Mason Taylor.