Jaguars Looking For Jordan Jefferson, Maason Smith Duo to Pay Dividends

The Jaguars' defense will have a lot riding on two LSU defenders.

Oct 7, 2023; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers running back Nathaniel Peat (8) runs the ball / Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

When asked about drafting mostly SEC players in last week's NFL Draft, Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke said “Obviously the SEC has a lot of good football players, so the odds are greater that they'll be up on the board but there's no intent there at all. We're just looking for good football players that fit our culture.”

Although it may be a simple coincidence -- the Jaguars specifically loaded up on LSU Tigers in this year's draft. Besides selecting defensive linemen Jordan Jefferson and Maason Smith, the Jaguars selected LSU wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr in the first round.

Last season, Jefferson (36 tackles, 7 TFL) and Smith (28 tackles, 4.5 TFL) combined for 64 tackles and 11.5 tackles for loss. Each finished with 2.5 sacks. The Tigers primarily utilized a four-down front in 2023, which allowed Jefferson and Smith to wreak havoc at the same time.

When asked about his history playing with Smith, Jefferson said “I feel like it’s going to be one of those things where we’re going to pick up where we left off. They are getting two guys that are going to cause disruption not only in the run game but also the pass game.”

Before transferring to LSU, Jefferson was an All-Big 12 nose tackle at West Virginia. In his final season as a Mountaineer, the 6’3 315 pound lineman finished with 31 tackles and 9.5 tackles for loss.

At West Virginia, he mainly played nose tackle. But at LSU, Jefferson demonstrated his versatility on the line by regularly lining up outside of the guard as a 3-technique.

“I want to just come in and help my team be successful any way that they need me, any way that they want to play me. In this first year, I basically just want to be a courtesy to the team, whatever my teammates need.” said Jefferson

Historically, Jaguars defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen tends to rotate between a 3-4 and 4-2-5 defensive front. Jefferson has the potential to be impactful either way, since he has showcased that he is comfortable in various defensive schemes.