LSU defensive tackle Maason Smith has solid athletic potential and could be an impact player in the NFL. While he struggled with injuries in recent years, Smith showed promise throughout his career.
Here is everything to know about Smith ahead of the NFL Draft.
How Tall Is Maason Smith?
Smith stands at 6’5 1/8″, which falls in the 93rd percentile at the position in direct comparison to his positional counterparts. He also boasts an impressive wingspan of 84″ (95th percentile) and arm length of 35″ (94th percentile).
At the 2024 NFL Combine, Smith logged a 5.01-second 40-yard dash, a 7.62-second three-cone, a 9′ broad jump, and a 31″ vertical in the 81st percentile.
How Much Does Smith Weigh?
Smith weighs in at 306 pounds, falling in the 54th percentile at his position. He is well-built for a defensive lineman and has elite vertical explosiveness, take-on strength, and power capacity.
How Old Is Smith?
Smith was born on Oct. 13, 2002, and is 21 years old.
What School Did Smith Go To?
He attended Terrebonne High School in Houma, La. Smith had a dominant high school career at Terrebonne, racking up over 200 tackles, 60 tackles for loss, and 26 sacks. Smith was one of the top-rated recruits in the 2021 class, recording more than 40 tackles and nine sacks in his senior season. He was named to the All-American Bowl roster.
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Rated as the highest recruit in Louisiana, Smith decided to stay in state and play college football at Louisiana State University over offers from Miami, Georgia, and Alabama.
Revisiting Smith’s College Career
At LSU, Smith became the first player to wear the number zero in school history. In his freshman year, Smith tallied 19 tackles, four sacks, and five tackles for loss. Three of Smith’s sacks came against McNeese State. However, Smith suffered a leg injury and missed the rest of the season. Smith was named to the All-SEC Freshman Team and the Freshman All-America Team.
To open the 2022 season, LSU played Florida State in the Louisiana Kickoff. During the game, while celebrating a play, Smith tore his ACL, prematurely ending his sophomore season.
Smith returned the following season and started 12 games on the defensive line for the Tigers. He totaled 27 tackles and four and a half sacks.
In his college career, Smith appeared in 22 games with 17 starts and had 47 career tackles to go with 9.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. He declared for the NFL Draft following the 2023 season.
Smith’s Potential in the NFL
Pro Football Network draft analyst Ian Cummings said Smith holds rotational value as a strong run defender and an undeniable power presence.
“At his best, Smith gives evaluators a look at how dominant he can be with his traits,” Cummings wrote. “In run defense, he can effortlessly stack blockers, shed with violent swims and rips, and envelop ball carriers within his reach.
“Smith is built to minimize displacement in run defense. Meanwhile, as a pass rusher, he creates it at a high level with his raw power capacity. With his burst and length, he can blast opponents back into the pocket, and he flashes exciting rushing versatility as a stunting lineman as well.”
KEEP READING: Ian Cummings’ Full Scouting Report of Maason Smith
Smith’s strengths, according to Cummings, include being a hyper-explosive DL with an elite first step and gap-obliterating momentum generation and having the power capacity to shock linemen at contact with full extensions inside the torso.
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