LSU tight end Mason Taylor was a slightly surprising early declaration for the 2025 NFL Draft but has been rising up the draft boards heavily since. While he isn’t widely rated among the top three tight ends in this class, many believe he could prove to be a hidden gem, and thus, many teams have shown interest in Taylor.
Four Teams Mason Taylor Has Visited Ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft
Taylor comes from a strong NFL bloodline — his father is Hall of Fame pass rusher Jason Taylor, and his uncle is fellow Hall of Famer Zach Thomas.
But beyond the family ties, Mason Taylor became LSU’s most productive tight end ever in just three seasons, totaling over 1,300 receiving yards and 129 receptions — both school records.
As per FOX Sports’ NFL Insider Jordan Schultz, Taylor “has steadily risen up team boards and has a real shot to be a late 1st or early 2nd-round pick” in the 2025 NFL Draft. He further reported that the tight end had visited the Cleveland Browns, New Orleans Saints, Los Angeles Chargers, Seattle Seahawks, and the Miami Dolphins in addition to having Zoom sessions with teams across the league.
Sources: LSU TE Mason Taylor is visiting the #Browns today and tomorrow. He’s also visited the #Saints, #Chargers, #Seahawks and #Dolphins — coupled with daily Zoom sessions across the league.
One of the cleaner prospects in the draft, Taylor has steadily risen up team boards… pic.twitter.com/gZPMIYgFmP
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) April 14, 2025
As Schultz reported, Taylor’s draft stock has been steadily rising, and in Pro Football Network’s latest seven-round mock draft by Jacob Infante, he is projected to be picked 55th overall by the Chargers.
Infante wrote, “The Chargers haven’t had a ton of stability at tight end since the days of Antonio Gates, and with the 2025 NFL Draft being a strong class at the position, they could look to upgrade the position.
“With his in-line and slot versatility, route-running awareness against zone coverage, and mentality as a blocker, Mason Taylor seems like a solid “U” tight end who can line up in multiple alignments for an offense at the NFL level.”
While Taylor has got some work to do in blocking, his ability as a receiver is unquestionable. He’s fleet-footed, fluid, and explosive out of breaks, with sharp instincts and soft hands at the catch. And his added RAC element makes him a truly complete pass-catching presence.
A common comparison that’s been made for Taylor is former Arkansas standout and second-round pick Hunter Henry. With his skill set, Taylor can mimic Henry’s pass-game reliability, chain-moving chops, and schematic versatility to eventually become a high-end starter.
Mason Taylor’s Scouting Report
Here’s what Pro Football Network’s Dalton Miller wrote in his scouting report on Taylor:
“Projecting a tight end to the NFL level is often the most complex position to get right. Most are used as glorified receivers at the college level. They simply attempt to survive as blockers when forced to put their hand in the dirt. Early declarations, like Bowling Green’s Harold Fannin Jr., are the focal point of the passing attack while being moved around the formation.
“Taylor is not. Taylor is a warrior. Taylor is used as a real tight end in the Tigers’ offense. He’s lost and forgotten within the walls of the tackle box (or slightly outside it, technically speaking).”
Ultimately, Taylor is an athletic, versatile target who profiles as a strong Day 2 pick. His NFL bloodlines only add to his appeal.
“In LSU’s offense, Taylor spent about 17% of his snaps in true pass protection, while many more reps involved chipping or checking and releasing into the flats,” Miller continued. “He spent nearly half of his time split between the slot and in-line. There are absolutely zero questions about his ability to block at an NFL level for the position because we so consistently witnessed it at the SEC level.
“While nobody would mistake him for Trent Williams in pass protection, the sheer fact that he survived nearly 150 pass-blocking snaps over the past two seasons with only one sack and four pressures allowed on his ledger is outstanding. He consistently fought battles against some of the best pass rushers in the country and survived.”