When Maason Smith first arrived at LSU, he was one of the most hyped up prospects we've ever seen. He was a five-star and the No. 2 overall recruit in the 2021 class, and the Houma native picked LSU over schools such as Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma and many others.

Although he wasn't a starter in his freshman season, you could see just how talented Smith was. He posted a 19-tackle, four-sack stat line in just 354 snaps from the interior of the defensive line and looked like a wrecking ball when he was on the field.

Heading into his sophomore season, Smith was awarded many preseason honors, but unfortunately, his season lasted just eight snaps before he tore his ACL in the season opener against Florida State.

Coming off the torn ACL, many expected this to finally be Smith's breakout season. However, it seems like his knee was still giving him some issues because he just didn't look like himself when he was on the field. He finished the season with 27 tackles and 2.5 sacks, but really seemed to struggle to shed blocks and defend the run.

Despite a less-than-stellar junior season, Smith declared for the NFL Draft and has been a very busy man. His unique size and athleticism have caught the eyes of many general managers and scouts, leading to Smith taking visits to 12 different teams during the draft process.

It seems like all those visits paid off as Smith was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars with the 48th overall pick in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He will join Brian Thomas Jr. in the Sunshine state.

The Jags are getting a player with a very high ceiling, and with the right coaching, he could become an elite player in the NFL.

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