The New York Jets needed stability up front, so during the 2025 NFL Draft, they invested first-round draft capital into Armand Membou. By doing so, they found exactly what they were looking for. He entered the league with expectations and finished his rookie campaign by earning a spot on the Pro Football Writers Association’s All-Rookie Team.

His résumé with the Missouri Tigers suggested he was ready to contribute early after earning Second-Team All-SEC honors to close his NCAA career. That’s exactly what he did. By the looks of things, the potential has translated well.

Membou stepped into a starting role immediately, and he never looked back. Seventeen starts later, he has done more than hold his own. He helped stabilize a unit that had been searching for answers. That impact hasn’t gone unnoticed as, one year after his selection, the arrows continue to point skyward.

In a recent regrade of the first-rounders taken during the 2025 NFL Draft, Sports Illustrated handed Membou a strong evaluation. That reinforces what Jets fans have already started to believe. He’s part of the solution in an ongoing rebuild.

According to their analysis, Membou ranked ninth among tackles in ESPN’s run block win rate as a rookie, playing a key role in an offensive line that helped Breece Hall eclipse 1,000 rushing yards for the first time in his career. For a team that has struggled to find consistency in the trenches, that kind of production matters.

There’s still room to grow. There always is for young linemen adjusting to the speed and complexity of the NFL, but the early signs are promising, and more importantly, they’re sustainable.

That’s what separates a good pick from a foundational one. If this trajectory continues, the Jets won’t just look back on this selection as a success. They’ll see it as a turning point for the entire offense.

This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: Armand Membou continues to justify the Jets’ top-10 investment