FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Mason Taylor remembers running around the fields as a wide-eyed kid at New York Jets training camp, visiting his famous father and rooting him on at games.
He's back, 15 years later. And now, it's his turn.
The rookie tight end, son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Jason Taylor, has been one of the standout performers through the Jets' first nine camp practices. Taylor, a second-round pick out of LSU, is making plays and impressing his coaches and teammates.
“Mason, he doesn’t talk a lot, he does work a lot, though,” quarterback Justin Fields said. “From the moment he got here, he’s been working, his head down working. He doesn’t make really any mental mistakes, at least from what I’ve seen. He’s a great route runner, he’s smooth, has natural hands, so he’s been great so far.”
The 21-year-old Taylor, whose uncle is Hall of Famer Zach Thomas, received a text from his father the night before camp opened, offering him some sound advice.
“Really just stay where your feet are,” Taylor recalled. “I mean, we always say that in our family — day by day, you know, attack the day, get better every single day and really just be where your feet are. Don’t look into the future, don’t look into the past and just take advantage of every moment you get.”
Jason Taylor would certainly know all about that.
Recognized as one of the NFL's greatest pass rushers with 139 1/2 sacks, the elder Taylor made a name for himself during 11 outstanding seasons playing for Miami and then one in Washington before joining Rex Ryan's Jets in 2010.
New York was one of the league's best teams that season, reaching the AFC championship game — one win away from the Super Bowl. The Jets' kicker was Nick Folk, who just re-signed with the team — and now has the distinction of having been teammates with both Jason and Mason Taylor.
“It's a crazy, crazy world,” Mason Taylor said with a big smile. “I mean, it's crazy to think about and now that he's on my team, it's a blessing, for sure.”
Taylor is in position to have a major role on the Jets' offense as a rookie. He was listed Sunday on the team's first unofficial depth chart as a backup to Jeremy Ruckert, but the 6-foot-5, 251-pound Taylor is expected to see his fair share of snaps — especially if he continues with his impressive summer.
“The receiving skills, listen, that doesn’t surprise me, I know he can do that,” coach Aaron Glenn said. "His blocking, I know he can block, but I didn’t think it was going to be this good. So, I’m excited to see how he matures when it comes to camp on how we want to do things as far as that is concerned.”
In three seasons at LSU, Taylor had 129 catches for 1,308 yards and six TDs, establishing himself as the most productive tight end in school history and one of the top players at his position in the country.
The Jets parted ways this winter with Tyler Conklin, their top pass-catching tight end, by allowing him to leave in free agency. So, New York was in need of a complement to wide receiver Garrett Wilson and provide Fields another reliable outlet in the passing game. New general manager Darren Mougey jumped on the chance to bring in Taylor, who has made that selection look smart.
“I think it’s been pretty good,” Taylor said of his progress. “Things have been flying around in the installs and everything like that, but I think I’ve kind of grasped onto it pretty quickly. And with the help of my teammates and coaches, I've been getting on the playbook pretty fast."
Taylor acknowledged that the little details of the offense — how many steps to take in a route, where you're supposed to be in position on a given play — have been the biggest things to which he has had to adapt.
He has also put extra emphasis on his blocking, working on his hand placement and pad level as he aims to be an all-around tight end in the NFL.
“I see growth and development out of Mason,” offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand said. “He’s on the path to becoming what we expected and hoped he could be. And he’s done a really nice job this camp in the pass game and in the run game as well. So, again, daily improvement by him, and we’re excited to see where that continues to go.”
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