Tackle? Guard? Mizzou’s Armand Membou is flying up NFL Draft boards, at any position

No Missouri Tigers football player has seen his draft stock skyrocket in the past two months more than offensive tackle Armand Membou.

Before the start of the 2024 season, Membou was seen as an exciting prospect with high upside because of his combination of strength and speed, but he was not thought of as a potential first-round pick until after the season concluded.

Preseason top-50 draft boards published by The Athletic, USA Today and CBS Sports had no mention of Mizzou’s former right tackle. Now, less than two months until the NFL Draft, he is expected by the majority to hear his name called in the first round.

Membou graded out as Missouri’s best player according to Pro Football Focus, earning an overall grade of 90.4, a stark improvement from his grade of 67.1 in 2023 and 67.6 in 2022.

His talent and freakish athleticism often popped off the screen at times during the Tigers’ 2024 season, which is rare for offensive linemen, a position group often heralded as unsung heroes. Only one questioned remained among NFL teams and media members during the NFL Scouting Combine: is Membou an NFL offensive tackle or guard?

He was excellent at tackle for the Tigers in 2024, but he was recruited to Missouri out of Lee’s Summit North as an offensive guard. Some scouts believe his size makes him a better prospect at guard, but his game film shows he is one of the most technically skilled offensive tackle prospects in the draft.

According to MockDraftable.com, average NFL tackles stand just over 6-foot-4 and weigh around 315 pounds. Mizzou lists Membou at 6-foot-3 and 325 pounds. His official Senior Bowl measurements listed him between 6-foot-3 and 6-foot-4, but closer to 6-foot-4 and 332 pounds.

“I don’t understand, I’m not super short,” Membou said. “I’m barely under 6-foot-4, so I don’t know why everyone is going crazy about my height.”

Membou’s self-proclaimed “weird body type” makes him an interesting prospect. He is slightly short for the position, but he has long arms, an ideal quality in offensive tackles. As NFL teams continue to meet with Membou, most believe he can play tackle at the next level while remaining curious about his ability to play guard.

“I think there is no reason why I couldn’t play tackle,” Membou said. “I think I’m more than athletic enough and I have the tools to (do it), but if a team wants to move me inside then let’s do it.”

He’s not wrong. Membou’s toolbox is full of traits that NFL scouts look for in a starting caliber offensive lineman. His footwork is excellent and his strength and speed are off the charts.

“At tackle, you have to be a little bit more athletic to handle that speed off the edge,” Membou said, “so if I were to get moved inside to guard, it’s bigger bodies so I can overpower them with my athleticism.”

Before the 2024 season, The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman reported that Membou clocked 20 miles per hour on a GPS, squatted 625 pounds and benched 425 pounds. The Tigers’ wide zone run scheme allowed him to put both his strength and speed on display during the season.

“I think most teams believe I’m athletically capable enough to play tackle, but it just depends on their needs,” Membou said.

He’ll look to put his athleticism on display Sunday, when he plans to run the 40-yard dash and participate in the bench press and on-field drills. Membou hopes to run a 4.8 second 40-yard dash.

Should he do so, it would be the third-fastest time recorded by an offensive lineman at the NFL Scouting Combine behind only Terron Armstead (4.71 seconds) and Lane Johnson (4.72 seconds).

Membou has come a long way, not just on draft boards, but in his football career. He started playing in eighth grade and almost quit following his sophomore season at Lee’s Summit North. Thankfully for Membou and Mizzou, his coach at the time, Jamar Mozee, talked him out of it.

“He came up to me and was like, ‘I think you might be able to play varsity this year,’ and that is when I started to take it seriously. ... It was really big for me to have someone who believed in me so I could develop my own confidence.”

Mozee was not the only coach Membou mentioned Saturday, as the former Tiger also thanked Mizzou coach Eli Drinkwitz.

“I’ve got a really good relationship with Drink,” Membou said. “I’m very grateful for the opportunities he gave me at Mizzou. Especially being able to play as a true freshman, so I’m really thankful for him.”

Membou will be just 21 years old when the NFL draft takes place in late April, and he is regarded as one of the best overall players in the draft. The Athletic lists Membou as the No. 9 player in the draft and The Ringer has him as the No. 11 prospect. He is poised to be the first Mizzou offensive lineman taken in the first round since the Los Angeles Raiders selected tackle John Clay with the No. 15 pick in 1987.

“It’s going to be pretty crazy (to hear my name called), but at the same time, for me, it’s just the beginning,” Membou said. “I’m just excited to get to work with whatever team that drafts me.”

Copyright 2025 Columbia Missourian

This story was originally published March 1, 2025 at 8:42 PM with the headline "Tackle? Guard? Mizzou’s Armand Membou is flying up NFL Draft boards, at any position."