If you’re going to succeed as an NFL general manager, you have to hit home runs every time you have a selection near the top of the draft, and that’s what New York Jets general manager Darren Mougey appears to have done with his first ever draft pick.
Offensive tackle Armand Membou, selected 7th overall by Mougey, made his NFL debut on Sunday and dominated from start to finish. By the end of the Week 1 slate of games, Membou was the highest graded offensive tackle by Pro Football Focus. That’s not just for rookies, either. Membou’s 89.0 PFF grade leads all offensive tackles and was celebrated by the Jets’ official X account.
ladies and gentlemen, @PFF's top-rated O-lineman in Week 1, Armand Membou pic.twitter.com/gVLTNkMkbR
— New York Jets (@nyjets) September 9, 2025
While his pass blocking can still use some work, he was solid in this regard. In the run game, Membou was a road grader, posting a 90.3 PFF grade. This keys into the identity that the Jets will likely have to create and maintain to have success this season: a dominant rushing attack led by running back Breece Hall and quarterback Justin Fields.
If Membou is aware of his league-leading PFF grade, there’s a decent chance he doesn’t care. The Jets lost, after all, and head coach Aaron Glenn’s strong postgame statement to the players made clear that they will not accept moral victories. He’s always going to hold them accountable, which is why the Jets cut Xavier Gipson already.
The good news for the Jets is that, even if they won’t admit it, there was plenty of good things to take away from their season opener and the players should be pleased with themselves. Their performance bodes well for the rest of the season, which hopefully concludes with an end to their 14-year playoff drought.