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Maason Smith

Maason Smith Player Profile

Summary

Maason Smith was selected in the 2nd Round (#48 Overall) in the 2024 Draft out of LSU. Smith is a prototypical interior defensive lineman prospect who entered the NFL with big tools — size, length, burst, and flashes of disruption. His rookie year showed promise with tangible production (3.0 sacks, TFLs) and he is primed for growth. The caveats are his injury history, somewhat limited experience, and the need to sharpen his run‑defense consistency and technique versus elite blockers. In the right scheme and with solid development, he has the foundation to become an impact piece on the interior for his team.

Strengths

  • Rare blend of size + athleticism: Smith stands 6′5″ with good length (notably high arm span) and combines that size with movement ability for an interior lineman. His college profile states: “strong, quick off the ball, difficult to block” and “rarely gets beat one‑on‑one.” LSU

  • Big‑play potential & disruptive traits: At LSU he put up flashes of back‑field penetration: as a true freshman he collected 3.0 sacks vs McNeese and 3.5 tackles for loss in that game. LSU In the NFL rookie year he recorded 3.0 sacks despite limited snaps — promising for his role. Jacksonville Jaguars

  • Versatility and alignment flexibility: He has the frame and movement to play multiple interior spots, which allows his team to deploy him in varied fronts and stunts.

  • High upside — developmental ceiling: Because of his physical tools and production in flashes, he carries a high ceiling. Many evaluators viewed him as one of the more intriguing interior DL prospects in his draft class. Big Cat Country

Weaknesses

  • Durability / injury history: Smith suffered a season‑ending ACL tear early in the 2022 college season.For an interior lineman, long‑term availability is a key factor, so his health history is a consideration.

  • Run‑defense consistency and anchor ability: While he has good movement and penetration, the ability to hold ground, anchor vs double‑teams, and win the tough inside blocks remains a growth area.

  • Pass‑rush move‑set and refinement: He has athleticism and burst, but some scouts noted that his repertoire of pass‑rush moves (counter moves, hand technique) is still developing. Also his high pad level in certain reps has been flagged as an area for improvement. NFL Draft Buzz

  • Experience & production volume: Due to injury and fewer college seasons started (only 17 starts at LSU) his body of work is smaller compared to some other elite prospects. LSU Transitioning to the NFL every‑down grind will test how quickly he can ramp his snap count and impact.

Fit & Outlook

Smith is best served in a scheme that uses interior linemen aggressively — one‑gap or hybrid fronts where his movement and disruption are leveraged rather than purely relying on two‑gap anchor duties. A rotation role early may help manage his development and health. If he continues to refine technique, stay healthy, and increase his on‑field impact in run and pass settings, his upside is to become a high‑level interior disruptor (think 6‑8 sacks, TFLs + strong run‑stop presence). If his weaknesses linger (especially anchoring in heavy run schemes or health issues), he may settle into a very good rotational starter rather than dominant feature internal DL.