Mason Taylor, son of Dolphins’ legend Jason Taylor, selected 42nd by Jets in NFL Draft

As if there was ever a doubt that the son of Jason Taylor and nephew of Zach Thomas would turn into a great player, Mason Taylor put those questions to bed early in his career with the LSU Tigers. In only his ninth game in college, Taylor hauled in a game-winning two-point conversion to stun Alabama in overtime.

Taylor wasn’t known for much more than his famous name — he was, after all, only a three-star prospect coming out of St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale — and yet it wound up being just the start of a spectacular career, that is now continuing into the NFL after the New York Jets selected Taylor with the 42nd overall selection in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft on Thursday.

Taylor was the third tight end and third South Floridian picked in the NFL Draft, and the 38th former Raider to be drafted into the NFL in the program’s illustrious history. He also follows Dallas Turner as the second St. Thomas Aquinas alumnus picked in the first round of the NFL Draft in as many years, after Turner went to the Vikings in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft last year.

Taylor, 20, was the first player from Broward County picked in the 2025 Draft, as well.

Like so many Raiders, Taylor waited his turn at St. Thomas Aquinas, only to blossom into a star as an upperclassman. The tight end did not record any stats as a freshman or sophomore, then was a first-team All-Broward County selection as a junior and senior. He won state championships in each of his final three years at St. Thomas Aquinas.

Taylor’s athletic pedigree is particularly impressive. His father was a six-time Pro Bowl edge rusher and four-time All-Pro for the Dolphins, and is now the defensive ends coach at Miami, and his uncle was a seven-time All-Pro linebacker for the Dolphins, as well.

At LSU, Taylor did not have to do any of the waiting he did with the Raiders. Even though the 247Sports composite rankings only pegged him as a three-star recruit, Taylor became an immediate contributor for the Tigers with 414 receiving yards as a freshman. As a junior last season Taylor set setting single-season marks at LSU with 55 catches and 546 yards, plus two touchdowns, to earn a third-team All-Southeastern Conference nod. He finished his career with program records for tight ends with 129 catches and 1,308 receiving yards.