Going into the 2023 football season, LSU Wire will be looking at each player listed on the Tigers’ roster.
Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for Brian Kelly this season.
We’re starting things out with one of the most anticipated players in the country in [autotag]Maason Smith[/autotag], who seemed poised for a breakout last fall before suffering an early season-ending injury.
Now, he’s back and could be one of the nation’s top defensive linemen.
Maason Smith Preseason Player Profile
Hometown: Houma, Louisiana
Ht: 6-6
Wt: 310
247Sports Composite Ranking
Five Stars | No. 1 in Louisiana | No. 7 Defensive Lineman
Class in 2022: Sophomore
Career Stats
| Year | G | Total | Solo | TFL | Sack | FF | PD | INT |
| 2021 | 7 | 19 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Depth Chart Overview
Smith was one of the prized gems of LSU’s 2021 recruiting class, and the former No. 31 overall prospect made an immediate impact as a true freshman that year.
He played in nine games, making four starts and earning Freshman All-America honors. He had solid production for a first-year player, totaling 19 tackles (five for loss) and four sacks. He was expected to take a big leap forward as a full-time starter in 2022.
However, bad luck struck Smith last fall. On the first drive of the season-opener against Florida State in 2022, he suffered a torn ACL while celebrating a stop. He missed the entire year, serving in a mentorship role while on the sidelines.
In his place, Missouri transfer [autotag]Mekhi Wingo[/autotag] had a breakout season, earning All-SEC honors. Now, the two will be paired up for what should be one of the SEC’s best defensive fronts in 2023 as Smith is fully healthy entering the fall.