Patriots draft profile: Mason Taylor could be Drake Maye’s security blanket

Scouting report for the LSU tight end, who projects as a Day 2 selection in this year’s draft.

Their tight end group is one of the New England Patriots’ best units on offense. Headed by veterans Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper, who ranked first and third on the team in receptions in 2024, it is in much better shape than other spots on that side of the ball.

With both Henry and Hooper on the wrong side of 30, however, an infusion of young talent that goes beyond current backups Jaheim Bell and Jack Westover would make sense. This year’s draft is the perfect one for such an infusion, with intriguing prospects available on all three days.

Among the top options to consider is projected second-round selection Mason Taylor out of LSU.

Hard facts

Name: Mason Taylor

Position: Tight end

School: LSU

Opening day age: 21 (5/8/2004)

Measurements: 6’5 1/8”, 251 lbs, 78 3/4” wingspan, 32 3/4” arm length, 10” hand size, 4.68s 40-yard dash, 7.06s 3-cone drill, 4.54s short shuttle, 28 bench press reps, 8.89 Relative Athletic Score

Experience

Colleges: LSU (2022-24)

Career statistics: 38 games (37 starts) | 2,381 offensive snaps, 5 special teams snaps | 181 targets, 129 catches (71.3%), 1,308 yards, 6 TDs | 7 drops (3.9%), 1 fumble, 9 penalties

Accolades: Third-team All-SEC (2024), Freshman All-SEC (2022)

The son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Jason Taylor, Mason following his dad’s footsteps felt like a foregone conclusion. Playing flag football and Pop Warner as a kid, he later joined the prestigious St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale, FL — a football powerhouse that won three straight state titles during Taylor’s high school career.

A three-star recruit, Taylor drew interest from several schools in Florida and beyond. He received offers from the likes of Alabama, Florida and Auburn, among other Power 5 schools, but eventually committed to LSU. In three seasons with the Tigers, he started all but one of his 38 games and finished with 129 catches for 1,308 yards and 6 touchdowns. A third-team All-SEC as a junior in 2024, he opted out of LSU’s bowl game and decided to skip his senior season to enter the draft.

Taylor was invited to the Senior Bowl and Scouting Combine, and met with the Patriots at both events.

Draft profile

Expected round: 2-3 | Consensus big board: No. 45 | Patriots meeting: Senior Bowl + Combine

Strengths: Be it in terms of his size or in terms of his usage, Taylor is a textbook tight end. Measuring 6-foot-5, 251 pounds at the Combine, he already is a well-built player who still has room to add more mass and muscle. He has big 10-inch hands that he uses to safely tuck away the football upon receiving it, immediately turning into a runner. In general, he is a very good player at the catch point who has the concentration and body control to make catches outside of his frame or against his stride, and the mass to shield off defenders (52.6% contested catch rate in college).

Taylor is a confident and effective route runner, who has the necessary hip fluidity and active feet to move well in the open field. He also does not shy away from contact, and from using his body to stay on track. He combines it with good baseline athleticism, and the ability to run routes from various alignments. In general, he is a player who can be used as a receiving option, a run blocker and a pass protector and has shown he can successfully execute all three of those roles.

Weaknesses: Taylor is a willing blocker, but there is no sugarcoating it: he is not a particularly good one just yet. Adding to his frame should help him do that, but he also is a clear work in progress from a technique perspective: his hands go wide too often, and he struggles to anchor against power rushers. His relatively short arms (32 1/4”) do him few favors either, and further decrease his margin for error.

Outside of his blocking, Taylor is not the most explosive athlete. He has adequate long speed, but his burst and explosiveness are nothing special. In turn, he also is no major threat as a runner with the ball in his hands; he averaged a career-low 4.6 yards after catch during his final season in Baton Rouge and forced only five missed tackles in 2024.

Patriots preview

What would be his role? Taylor is a solid all-rounded tight end prospect, and as such projects to serve as a classic Y at the position. He would not be an every-down player from the get-go given who the Patriots already have under contract. However, he is as a high-floor TE3 who will contribute as both a blocker and a receiver out of the gate and eventually increase his role with more experience in the NFL.

What is his growth potential? Taylor did start 37 games in college, but he will not turn 21 until after the draft and is still a developing player. Once he is able to fine-tune his blocking in particular, he should become a player suited to be used regardless of down and distance. He has all the makings of a starter-caliber tight end, and a security blanket-type player for Patriots quarterback Drake Maye.

Does he have positional versatility? LSU did not shy away from moving Taylor around the formation to take advantage of matchups. He spent most of his time as an inline TE, but also regularly moved into the slot and has experience splitting out wide. He even has a handful of backfield snaps on his résumé. His versatility does not extend beyond offense, though: he was a non-factor on special teams during his college career.

Why the Patriots? As noted above, both Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper are getting up there in age. They are still good players and should play sizable roles for the team in 2025, but their long-term perspective is unclear. Adding Taylor to the mix would address that, and give Josh McDaniels a throwback tight end to insert into his offense — first as a backup, and later as a starter.

Why not the Patriots? Taylor is projected to come off the board in the second round, and New England simply might not be willing to spend a premium pick like No. 38 on a position in relatively decent shape. In addition, there is a chance the team is looking for more dynamic players to complement Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper.

One-sentence verdict: Miami Dolphins legend Jason Taylor cheering on the Patriots because of his son would be a fun sight, and one that is not unrealistic considering the type of prospect the 20-year-old is.

What do you think about Mason Taylor as a potential Patriots target? Please head down to the comment section to share your thoughts.