Armand Membou

Patriots Open To Trading Down; Interested In Jalon Walker, Armand Membou?

April 10th, 2025 at 5:05pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Patriots “would be happy” with using the fourth overall pick in April’s draft on Colorado receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter or Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter, per ESPN’s Matt Miller.

Both are considered blue-chip prospects in a class with a wide range of evaluations, which is why it’s no certainty that they’ll even be available when New England is on the clock. Another team would likely need to select Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders in the top three.

If that doesn’t happen, the Patriots will be considering a wider range of options with the No. 4 pick, including a potential trade down with a team trying to acquire Sanders.

“If somebody has an offer for us, I think we’d be willing to listen,” said head coach Mike Vrabel (via ESPN’s Mike Reiss).

Vrabel also said that the team is looking to add a “premium” talent in the first round, but if Hunter and Carter are off the board, they might trade back to land another coveted prospect and gain additional draft capital.

The Patriots’ list of targets – either at No. 4 or later in the first round – could include LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell and Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham, who have both visited New England. Campbell in particular has been frequently linked with the Patriots due to their need along the offensive line and his potential culture fit with Vrabel.

The team has also “done a lot of work” on Missouri’s Armand Membou, per Miller. He is Campbell’s primary competition to be the first offensive linemen selected this year, and the Patriots are interested in both players.

Georgia’s Jalon Walker could also fit the playmaking mold that Vrabel is looking to add to the Patriots defense, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. The hybrid linebacker can line up off-ball or on the edge and brings leadership skills and a mentality that Vrabel will appreciate.

OT Armand Membou To Visit Cowboys

April 9th, 2025 at 1:22pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Cowboys are hosting projected first-rounder Armand Membou on a top-30 visit, per ESPN’s Todd Archer.

The Missouri product is widely considered to be one of the draft’s top-two offensive tackles along with LSU’s Will Campbell. Membou has skyrocketed up draft boards since the Combine, where he ranked among the top four offensive linemen in the 40-yard dash, broad jump, vertical jump, and bench press.

That performance may push him into the top 10 on draft night and out of the range of the Cowboys, who hold the 12th overall pick. Membou, currently the 12th-ranked prospect on Daniel Jeremiah’s big board, has the size and athleticism to start at offensive tackle in the NFL, though it’s unclear if he would have that opportunity in Dallas anytime soon.

The Cowboys signed right tackle Terence Steele to a long-term extension in 2023 and invested a first-round pick in left tackle Tyler Guyton last year, but they may look at Membou as a high-upside guard after the retirement of Zack Martin. The latter enjoyed a stellar career in Dallas, collecting nine total first- or second-team All-Pro nods. Replacing his level of play will be a challenge, and slotting in Membou along the interior could achieve that goal.

The junior took on first-team duties midway through his debut Tigers campaign and continued in that capacity the rest of the way, earning second-team All-SEC honors last season. With 29 starts to his name, Membou could step into a role right away in the NFL, although the fact he played exclusively at right tackle in college means a guard opportunity at the pro level would require a transition phase. Still, Dallas would have a potential successor for Steele (whose contract does not include guaranteed salaries beyond 2025) in place with a Membou selection.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

Eliot Wolf Addresses Patriots’ Draft Strategy; Team High On Will Campbell, Armand Membou?

March 25th, 2025 at 11:57am CST by Adam La Rose

Set to select fourth overall in April’s draft, the Patriots are a team to watch closely. New England is not in need of a Day 1 quarterback, something which could lead to favorable circumstances with respect to how the top of the board shakes out in the first round.

Still, the team faces a number of roster-building questions in the wake of free agency. The Patriots were busy on the open market, with lucrative deals for the likes of Milton Williams, Carlton Davis and Harold Landry aimed at upgrading their defense. The left tackle and receiver positions are still in need of attention, though, leading many to point to those as targets for the No. 4 pick. When speaking on the subject, EVP Eliot Wolf said need will not lead to the team reaching on a prospect.

“No, we don’t [feel compelled]. The best player available is going to be the way it is,” Wolf said (via Karen Guregian of MassLive). “Maybe we went for need a little bit too much last year… But, just moving forward, it’s taking the best player, and understanding that we’ve filled a lot of needs already in free agency.”

New England’s offensive line was a major sore spot in 2024, and improving the unit was seen as a central priority for the offseason. The team’s only moves to date have consisted of adding veteran right tackle Morgan Moses and center Garrett Bradbury along with tendering Demontrey Jacobs, however. Providing quarterback Drake Maye with blindside protection will be critical for his first full season as a starter, but at this point nothing has taken place at the left tackle position. As a result, it remains one to watch closely regarding the draft.

On that note, Guregian reports the Patriots remain fond of Will Campbell at this point in the evaluation process. The LSU product is seen as the top O-lineman in the 2025 class, but questions linger about his ability to play tackle at the NFL level. A move to guard could be in store based on his arm length, but a selection at No. 4 on the part of the Patriots would represent confidence he can handle left tackle duties.

Other lineman are on the team’s first-round radar as well. Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline writes the Patriots have shown “an incredible amount of interest” in Armand Membou since the Combine took place earlier this month. The Missouri product has seen his draft stock rise in recent weeks, although he too is seen as a candidate to play guard in the NFL. Like with Campbell, Membou would be expected to operate as a tackle in the event New England drafted him in (or near) the top five or 10 selections.

Of course, any public statements made at this time of year cannot fully be taken at face value. Still, Wolf’s remarks indicate the Patriots are open to several different possibilities in the first round, including those which could steer them toward an offensive lineman with their top pick (although as Guregian notes, New England sees Heisman winner Travis Hunter as the best player in the draft). Barring a left tackle signing in particular over the coming weeks, Campbell and Membou will be worth monitoring from New England’s perspective as the draft approaches.

Missouri T Armand Membou Declares For 2025 Draft

December 6th, 2024 at 12:47pm CST by Adam La Rose

Luther Burden III declared for this year’s draft earlier in the week, but he is not the only Missouri junior to take that route. Right tackle Armand Membou informed ESPN’s Pete Thamel he is headed to the NFL this spring.

Membou will skip the Tigers’ upcoming bowl game and turn his attention to pre-draft preparation. As a prospect whose stock is built in no small part on his athleticism, the Combine in March will be a critical checkpoint during that process. Membou will depart Missouri after playing a key role for the team up front.

The former four-star recruit made 11 appearances during his freshman campaign, starting the last five. His success in that span set him up for a two-year stretch as the Tigers’ starting right tackle. Membou allowed only two sacks in 2023, making him an impactful member of an offensive line which finished as a semifinalist for the Joe Moore award that year. Expectations were high entering the 2024 campaign as a result.

Membou delivered another strong outing, earning third-team All-SEC honors. PFF charged him with zero sacks and only seven pressures allowed in pass protection, resulting in an overall grade of 86.7. That makes the 6-3, 314-pounder one of the offensive linemen worth watching closely over the coming months, although a move to the interior may be needed at the NFL level. If that were to be the case, a lengthier wait on Day 2 of the draft could be in store.

The likes of Will Campbell (LSU) and Josh Simmons (Ohio State) have made the expected decisions of declaring for April’s draft as well. They represent two of the top options for teams in need of help up front this spring, and they will be highly sought after. For those which do not manage to find immediate O-line help during the first round, Membou could become a target.