A pick in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft gave Nick Saban the opportunity to talk about a mistake he made on the recruiting trail during his coaching days with Alabama football.

His regret: Not landing tight end Mason Taylor, who ended up playing three seasons for LSU.

“This is the biggest recruiting mistake we ever made,” Saban said on ABC. “This guy is the best tight end we had in camp.”

The New York Jets selected Taylor in the second round Friday in Green Bay. Right after the pick, the first clip ABC showed was from the 2022 Alabama vs. LSU game in which Taylor caught the game-winning two-point conversion to beat Saban and the Crimson Tide.

“Here he beats us and knocks us out of the playoff right here,” Saban said.

Taylor, the son of NFL Hall of Famer Jason Taylor, played for St. Thomas Aquinas in Florida. Also, Taylor’s uncle is Pro Football Hall of Famer Zach Thomas.

“We bring (Mason Taylor) in and we shuffle around on whether we’re going to offer him or not,” Saban said. “Then he commits to LSU, then we tried to get him. This guy is an outstanding player. He’s got the right mental makeup. He can play all the spots at tight end. He can play hand in the dirt, he can move as an H, he can play out as a wideout. This guy is a really good player. He’s my favorite all-around tight end.”

The second and third round of the draft are happening Friday night. Then, rounds four through seven will be completed Saturday.

Nick Kelly is an Alabama beat writer for Follow him on X and the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X and Instagram.