The Jacksonville Jaguars expected big things from Maason Smith in 2025 after a strong finish to his rookie campaign. However, he failed to make strides and instead regressed. By the end of the year, he was an afterthought on defense, which is why it's not particularly shocking to see that the Jags are cutting ties with him.
Adam Schefter of ESPN is reporting that Jacksonville is trading Smith to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro. This move makes sense for both sides, as the former LSU Tiger gets a fresh start, while the Jags get reinforcements in the interior trenches.
The Jaguars traded Maason Smith to the Falcons in return for Ruke Orhorhoro
The Jaguars might've seen enough in Maason Smith last year to think that he wasn't going to put it all together in Jacksonville. Couple that with the fact that they needed to bolster the interior defensive line precisely because he failed to break out, and trading for Orhorhoro is a no-brainer.
In Orhorhoro, Jacksonville is getting a defensive tackle who led the league in pressure rates (15.5 percent) last year.
Like Smith, Orhorhoro was a second-round pick in 2024. He appeared in 25 games and registered 3.5 sacks (all in 2025) the past two years.
When the Jags drafted Smith, he earned comparisons to Calais Campbell, so the pick generated a bit of hype despite the fact that he had struggled with injuries at LSU.
However, Smith got off to a slow start and was even inactive early in his rookie year. Surprisingly, he turned the corner and finished the season with three sacks. Knowing he could wreck havoc only increased the expectations.
But the 2025 season came, and Smith was underwhelming, progressively tumbling down the depth chart.
On a related note, the Jags announced that they traded Smith to the Falcons but also that waived 2023 sixth-round pick Cooper Hodges.
Trading for Ruke Orhorhoro changes the Jaguars plans for the draft
If Orhorhoro builds off his sophomore campaign, defensive tackle may no longer be a need for the Jaguars. Heck, they traded for him likely because that's the expectation. Having checked off a massive box, general manager James Gladstone can now turn his attention to filling other roster voids.
With Orhorhoro in the mix, the Jaguars could take a pass rusher with the 56th overall pick. Pete Prisco of CBS Sports thinks that R Mason Smith would be huge. Another possibility would be Derrick Moore or Malachi Lawrence. Heck, the Jags could go the best player available route and take offensive lineman Chase Bisontis or even Gennings Dunker if they want to beef up the offensive trenches. Either way, they now have options.
For his part, Orhorhoro could start next to either Davon Hamilton. Arik Armstead, and the Jags could draft a rookie to round out their defensive tackle rotation.
The bottom line is that the Jaguars have more flexibility, and the roster is in better shape after trading for Ruke Orhorhoro.
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