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Nick Saban was the architect of one of the greatest dynasties in college football history during his time at Alabama, winning six national championships from 2007-2023. He recruited and developed some of the best football players of this generation, players like Julio Jones, Derrick Henry and Amari Cooper. However, there is one player he was unable to bring to Tuscaloosa he still thinks about.
That player was tight end Mason Taylor, who decided to sign with the rival LSU Tigers after playing his high school football at St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. On Friday, Taylor was selected by the New York Jets with the No. 42 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Saban, who now works as an analyst for ESPN, heaped praise on Taylor, calling him an “outstanding player” and revealing that not landing him for the Crimson Tide was “the biggest recruiting mistake we ever made” during his time at Alabama, per ESPN.
Taylor is the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end Jason Taylor, who spent one season with the Jets in 2010. The young tight end stepped onto campus as a starter in 2022, and in his final season, he recorded career highs in receptions (55) and receiving yards (546) while catching two touchdowns. Overall, Taylor finished his collegiate career with 129 receptions for 1,308 yards and six touchdowns over 38 games played.
Taylor was CBS Sports’ No. 4 tight end in this year’s class and the No. 60 overall prospect. Now, he will be catching passes from Justin Fields.
