Summary

Dawuane Smoot was selected in the 3rd Round (#68 Overall) in the 2017 Draft out of University of Illinois. Smoot has carved out a nine-year NFL career with the Jaguars and one cameo Bills season, appearing in 120+ games with 147 total tackles, 26.0 sacks, 6 pass deflections, 7 forced fumbles, and 2 fumble recoveries as of 2025. Known as a steady, smart, and effort-driven veteran and mentor to Josh Hines-Allen, Smoot has been valued for his run-defense work, occasional pass-rush bursts, and locker-room leadership through ups and downs, including returning from injury to remain a contributor.

Strengths

• Reliable Run-Defender: Smoot plays with physical engagement, uses his strength and leverage to set edges, and tackles effectively against both runs and screens, making him valuable on early downs.

• Slow-Drip Pass-Rush Production: He generated 26 sacks over his NFL career, including productive years around 2020–22, showing he can contribute as a situational edge threat.

• Veteran Savvy & Experience: Almost a decade in the league had afforded him solid understanding of offensive blocking schemes and situational football and is viewed as a dependable teammate and locker-room presence, important for depth pieces who bridge youth and veterans on defense.

• Effort & Motor: He plays with consistent effort and competes through the whistle, traits that help him maximize opportunities on limited snaps, even moving inside on pass rush downs. In college, Smoot would sometimes play 70+ snaps per game and his stamina was one of his most attractive traits in the draft process.

Weaknesses

• Inconsistent Pass Rusher: His pass-rush grades and pressure rates are generally middling when measured against full-time edge defenders and elite edge production has been sporadic throughout his career.

• Athleticism/Rush Arsenal is Average: Smoot lacks elite bend, burst, and move-set diversity that top edge rushers possess, limiting his ability to win consistently one-on-one.

• Production Dip Post-Injury: Following an Achilles injury in 2022, his opportunities and impact decreased. Since then, he’s rarely been a true every-down edge force, instead serving primarily in sub-packages or as a complementary rusher/run-defense option.

• Snap Count and Impact Variability: His snap counts and influence have varied year-to-year, sometimes limiting rhythm and consistency as a defensive playmaker.

Outlook

Smoot projects best as a rotational edge defender in a multiple-front scheme — particularly in defenses that value stout run defense on early downs but still want occasional interior pressures or edge sets on passing downs. His physicality and experience allow him to hold up against pro-style rushing attacks and contribute on passing situations when paired with more explosive rushers. While he’s unlikely to become a high-volume sack leader or full-time starter at this stage, Smoot offers value as a situational pass rusher and stout run defender. If he maintains health and remains in a scheme that maximizes his strengths (rush disruption, gap setting, and veteran savvy), he can continue to be a useful rotational contributor. Despite a less than favorable Depth Analytics grade, Smoot’s leadership and professionalism also bolster special teams and young defensive fronts, making him a reliable depth defender in the latter stages of his NFL career.