FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — New York Jets rookie tight end Mason Taylor received a text from his father Thursday night, advice on the eve of his first NFL minicamp.
“Just be where your feet are,” Mason said Friday, relaying the message from his dad, Pro Football Hall of Famer Jason Taylor.
With that, Mason Taylor, a second-round pick from LSU, began his own NFL journey, trying to make a name for himself while handling the pressure of having a famous father. And let’s not forget about his uncle, Zach Thomas, another Hall of Famer.
Some might call it a burden. Mason Taylor considers it a blessing.
“There’s high expectations, for sure, just because of the last name,” Taylor said after his first rookie minicamp practice. “But when people say, ‘Oh, let him have his shine, stop saying his dad’s name’ — I mean, I love it. We’re family, him and my Uncle Zach.
“I mean, I want to be like them, so you can call it ‘in their shadows,’ but I love modeling my game after theirs, their hard work. I know they’re on the defense, but just their hard work and how they weren’t highly recruited coming into the NFL — their hard work, consistency every single day. I mean, I look up to those guys, for sure.”
Jason Taylor and Thomas were third- and fifth-round picks, respectively, by the Miami Dolphins and went on to legendary careers in the NFL. In fact, Taylor played one year with the Jets in 2010, their last playoff season.
Mason Taylor said it was a “surreal moment” to walk into the facility once used by his father. He was given No. 46, and then he went to work.
“I’m here to play football,” he said. “It’s not about a number.”
Taylor played three seasons at LSU, finishing as the school’s all-time leading receiver among tight ends with 129 receptions, 1,308 yards and six touchdowns. The numbers were good, not great, although he played in an offense geared to wide receivers that included two of Taylor’s former teammates in Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr.
Basically, Taylor was known as a sure-handed security blanket. Some talent evaluators believe he was capable of more in college.
“I wouldn’t say my stats would be better without them,” Taylor said. “It was a blessing to play with them, and I would never trade that experience for anything. I played with Malik, B.T., Kyren [Lacy] and all those people. It was an unforgettable experience, and it’s something that’s helped my game definitely on the field, for sure.”
Taylor should have a significant role as a rookie, considering the Jets lost starter Tyler Conklin in free agency. The only returning veteran is backup Jeremy Ruckert. They also added Stone Smartt, formerly of the Los Angeles Chargers, in free agency.
“He can do it all,” coach Aaron Glenn said of Taylor. “He can block, he can be a receiving threat, and … knowing that his father has played in this league, he should be able to pour some of that wisdom on him.