JACKSONVILLE – He has flashed at times, showing glimpses of real promise.
Maason Smith by all accounts has turned in a solid Jaguars 2024 Training Camp and ’24 preseason, which gives the rookie defensive lineman a measure of confidence as the regular season approaches.
“I feel like I’m ready to perform,” he said. “I have no doubt in my capabilities on the field, so just being able to continue to grow and continue to get better.”
Smith, a second-round selection by the Jaguars in the 2024 NFL Draft, spoke to the media Monday following a practice at the Miller Electric Center. He discussed multiple topics as the Jaguars prepared for Friday’s preseason finale against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, including how teammate/Pro Bowl defensive end Josh Allen has helped him adapt to the NFL.
“He’s always told me really, ‘Just don’t wait; you’ve got to go attack him now,” Smith said.
Smith said Allen has constantly reminded him to “know that you’re that guy, and continue to grow and push.”
“It’s there for me now,” he said. “So just being able to go and fully commit to doing everything that I’m supposed to be doing.”
Smith, a physically impressive interior lineman with uncommon length and athleticism, was considered the nation’s top defensive lineman prospect entering Louisiana State. He impressed as a true freshman in 2021, then sustained a torn anterior cruciate ligament as a sophomore and spent his 2023 redshirt sophomore season of junior season rehabilitating toward full health before entering the 2024 NFL Draft.
He said Monday he continues to improve physically, and continues to move in the right direction as his rookie season approaches.
“I definitely feel like I’m in the best shape of my life right now, post-injury,” Smith said. “The last couple of games of my college career, I feel like it was pretty good. So just coming into this next level, I just wanted…
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