Brian Webster

He’s 6-foot-5 and weighs around 325 pounds. So he’s used to carrying a load. 

In 2025, he’ll be carrying more than the muscles and flesh around his large bones. He just might have the weight of an entire professional football team’s defensive hopes strapped to his back.

He’s Maason Smith, a second-year defensive tackle out of Louisiana State University. Last year, while most of the Jaguars defense deflated, Smith held his own. He recorded 17 tackles (10 solo) and even got three quarterback sacks. He was third on the team behind edge rushers Travon Walker (10 sacks) and Josh Hines-Allen (8).

Three sacks is promising for a rookie interior lineman, especially on a defensive unit that was possibly the NFL’s worst at making quarterbacks sweat. 

Of course, 2025 is a clean slate. Smith gave an impressive, energetic effort during Jacksonville’s offseason minicamp this past week. 

“(Smith) is a competitor,” said Jags defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile after Wednesday’s drills. “He’s a guy who wants to be a really good player.”

Smith spurred a rowdy and focused defense that made the offense look rushed and out-of-sorts during team drills.

“I thought the (defense’s) energy was better than the offense’s,” first-year Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said on Wednesday. “Making plays, had a little juice. If the offense made a play, I felt the defense kept responding.”

Though the Jags implemented plenty of changes over the offseason, they did little to boost the defensive line. They didn’t draft any defensive linemen, nor sign any in free agency. The front office fully expects last year’s crew to rise up. That includes Smith. 

“We need Smith to take a huge step this year,” said Coen. “When you’re 325 pounds, with long arms—and he can move, man—and he’s got the want-to. Ultimately, it has to translate (on the field), and I think it will.”

The Jags defense mostly translated passive resistance on the field in 2024. They ranked near the bottom of the league in quarterback sacks (34) and quarterback hits (68), while allowing 29 touchdown passes and a league-high 4375 passing yards. 

The Jags picked off only six passes in 17 games. 

The inability to stop their opponents or take away the ball put pressure on the rest of the team. NFL Network’s Brian Baldinger noted this Friday morning during The Best Football Show.

Jacksonville finished the 2024 season with a minus-15 turnover ratio.

“In 17 games last year, the Jaguars had eight takeaways. Eight,” Baldinger said. “So, if you want to help your quarterback out, give him the ball. Give him the ball in better position. Let the defense set the offense up.”

During Wednesday’s minicamp — at least against their own offensive teammates — the Jags’ defensive players seemed to get the memo. Cornerbacks Buster Brown and Caleb Ransaw broke up passes. Jourdan Lewis, a veteran free agent from Dallas, made a leaping break-up of a Trevor Lawrence pass to Travis Hunter in the endzone.

Smith made his presence felt too. He swatted a Lawrence pass at the line of scrimmage.