LSU tight end and NFL Draft prospect, Mason Taylor, is expected to be one of the top tight ends taken off the board in the 2025 NFL Draft. He was a three-year starter at LSU before declaring, and strong performances at the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine have boosted his stock even more.
We're now less than two weeks away from the draft, which is when Taylor will find out where he will be playing professional ball. As the draft grows closer, Taylor has been busy meeting with a bunch of teams, most recently the Cleveland Browns, per Jordan Schultz.
Schultz reports that Taylor has also visited with the New Orleans Saints, LA Chargers, Seattle Seahawks and Miami Dolphins prior to the draft.
Taylor would be TE1 or TE2 in most draft classes, but he just happens to be in the same class as two elite talents in Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland, which means someone is going to get a really good deal on Taylor.
As of today, Taylor is projected to be a day two pick, meaning he'll end up somewhere in the second or third rounds. Most recent mock drafts have him going in the second, with one having him go as early as pick 45 to the Indianapolis Colts. The lowest I've seen him recently is pick 55 to the LA Chargers.
It's easy to see why teams are so fond of Taylor's game. If you watched him at LSU, you'd know how smooth of a route runner he is, but one part of his game that flew under the radar was his blocking abilities. He improved as a blocker every year in Baton Rouge, which is something NFL teams want to see in tight end prospects.
Despite an ankle injury in 2023 limiting his effectiveness, Taylor finished his career as LSU's all-time leader in receiving yards by a tight end. In three seasons, Taylor amassed 129 catches for 1,308 yards and six touchdowns. His most notable play came as a true freshman in 2022, when he caught the game-winning two-point conversion against Alabama in overtime to walk the game off.
Don't be surprised if Taylor's name is called early next week. He has legitimate early second round potential, and if someone's desperate enough, there's a slim chance he could go in the back half of the first round.