Second-Year Player Could Make or Break Jacksonville’s Defense

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. 

“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.”

In 2024, the Jags 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 and finished the campaign with a minus-15 turnover ratio.

During Wednesday’s minicamp, 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.