Tag: Jaquelin Roy

Injured LSU defensive tackle Maason Smith undergoes surgery to repair torn ACL

Smith will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a knee injury on the first drive of the year.

A few weeks after tearing his ACL, Tigers defensive tackle [autotag]Maason Smith[/autotag] has undergone surgery.

Smith left LSU’s opener against Florida State on the opening drive after injuring his knee while celebrating a stop. As is usually the case with ACL injuries, Smith will miss the remainder of the season.

His injury was a big blow to the Tigers’ defense, as LSU was expecting Smith to be one of the defensive linemen in the country. A former five-star recruit, he made an immediate impact as a true freshman last fall. He was supposed to anchor the interior of the defensive line.

Now, the Tigers will have to wait until 2023 to see if he can achieve his full potential.

His talent is off the charts, and there’s no reason to think he won’t be the same caliber player upon his return. Smith quote tweeted LSU’s schedule release on Tuesday, hinting at his eagerness to return to the field.

With Smith out, [autotag]Mekhi Wingo[/autotag] has been elevated to a starting role at defensive tackle alongside veteran [autotag]Jaquelin Roy[/autotag].

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How has Mekhi Wingo fared in Maason Smith’s absence?

Losing Smith was devastating. How has Wingo performed for LSU in replacement?

The expectations for [autotag]Maason Smith[/autotag] were sky-high entering 2022. The sophomore was expected to be one of the best players in the SEC and a force on the defensive line.

LSU had a lot of questions, but he wasn’t one of them.

When Smith went down on the first drive of the year, there was some concern for where that unit was headed. Smith was the anchor that the rest of the defense could be built around.

You can’t replace him, but that’s what [autotag]Mekhi Wingo[/autotag] has been tasked with doing. Three games in, we can start to gain a sense of how Wingo has played in Smith’s absence.

It’s not always easy to judge how an interior defensive lineman has played. The work doesn’t always show up in the stats and without a playbook, you don’t know what their assignment is on every play.

With that being said, let’s jump right into Wingo’s performance.

There were a few occasions on Saturday in which Mississippi State tried to test LSU’s defense on fourth and short. For the most part, LSU held strong, and Wingo made his presence known on a few of those stops.

Close to the three-minute mark in the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs tried a run up the middle on fourth and one. Wingo fought off the left tackle to collapse inside, meeting [autotag]Major Burns[/autotag] and Mike Jones Jr. to make the stop.

Despite finding some success early, Mississippi State went away from the run game as Wingo and others defended the front.

According to PFF, Wingo has been one of the best run-defenders in the SEC. His 82.7 run defense grade ranks third among interior defensive linemen that have played 100 snaps.

Wingo has five stops on the year and hasn’t missed a tackle.

The biggest difference between Wingo and Smith comes when rushing the passer. Smith’s pass rushing ability was considered exceptional for a defensive tackle.

LSU often takes Wingo out when using a pass rush package, opting to put in [autotag]Sai’vion Jones[/autotag] or an extra defensive back to bring off the edge. Wingo’s one sack on the year came against Southern, but he has applied at least one pressure in every game.

At this point, it’s hard not to be pleased with Wingo’s performance. He was expected to have a prominent spot in the rotation whether Smith was healthy or not, now he’s the guy.

Playing up front next to [autotag]Jaquelin Roy[/autotag] helps, too. At 6-foot-4 and 315 pounds, Roy is a force and one of the best pass-rushing defensive tackles in the SEC.

Roy and Wingo are a duo up front that should be formidable against 95% of offensive lines in the country, maybe more.

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Texans pick QB Bryce Young, DL Jaquelin Roy in CBS Sports 2023 mock draft

The Houston Texans go with QB Bryce Young and DL Jaquelin Roy in the first round in CBS Sports’ 2023 mock draft.

The Houston Texans have two first-round draft picks through the 2024 season, which means it is always draft season in the Bayou City.

According to Josh Edwards from CBS Sports, the Texans use their No. 3 overall pick to take Alabama quarterback Bryce Young.

The door is certainly not closed on Davis Mills’ future in Houston but it would be difficult to persuade them from using the opportunity to select a quarterback. Young is undersized but has displayed tremendous leadership for the Crimson Tide.

It would depend on the scenario that would compel the Texans to pick a quarterback. If the defense wasn’t able to protect leads late that Mills built, then that wouldn’t exactly mean Houston needed to replace their field general. However, in any scenario where Houston is finishing with their proprietary pick being No. 3 overall, chances are there were significant problems at quarterback throughout the 2022 campaign.

The Atlanta Falcons took Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud, which left the Texans with the Crimson Tide signal caller to replace Mills. The New York Jets also take Alabama edge defender Will Anderson with the second overall selection.

Houston has another first-round selection to make thanks to their trade with the Cleveland Browns in the offseason. The Texans shore up the defensive line with LSU defensive lineman Jaquelin Roy.

Houston is just adding good pieces to its team; build the core of the roster. They have found some good players over the past few draft classes and now expedite the process with Bryce Young and Roy.

If the Texans went with Roy, it would be an effective bridge from Jerry Hughes. Roy could also give the Texans an option in case they didn’t want to keep defensive end Jonathan Greenard in the team’s future plans. Greenard’s contract is up at the end of the 2023 season.

Nose tackle Jaquelin Roy excited about position change, could be poised for a breakout

Roy moved from the three-technique to nose tackle this offseason, and reports from camp indicate that change is working out for the junior and Baton Rouge native.

LSU’s defensive line in 2022 has the potential to be one of the program’s best of the last decade.

With edge rushers [autotag]BJ Ojulari[/autotag] — the most hyped member of the group — and [autotag]Ali Gaye[/autotag], who has battled injuries but has been great when healthy, the Tigers should have no issues getting pressure on the quarterback.

Meanwhile, former five-star recruit [autotag]Maason Smith[/autotag] is expected to make a name for himself as a big interior defensive end after an impressive true freshman campaign in 2021.

With all this talent, the fourth projected starter in the group has been a bit overshadowed. Junior [autotag]Jaquelin Roy[/autotag] appeared in nine games as a true freshman in 2020 and played in all 13 games last season, when he notched the only start of his career thus far.

His production has been limited in those two seasons, but after moving from the three-technique position to nose tackle this offseason — and gaining 15 pounds — the 6-foot-4, 315-pound player could be set to take a big leap this fall.

“I don’t know too many centers that are just going to block me one-on-one,” Roy told The Advocate’s Sheldon Mickles. “When I was playing the three-technique (as a tackle), I struggled with taking the inside step before I got out vertically.

“I’m in an even stance in the nose, so I can step right in and lift whatever the offensive lineman is doing. I can make a play fast. I can be a disturbance.”

Roy is a Baton Rouge native who played his high school ball for University Lab High School in the literal shadow of Tiger Stadium. He told Mickles that transferring following two lackluster seasons was not on his radar.

He’s intent on making an impact with his hometown team, and his change in approach this offseason has been noticed by his teammates on the defensive line.

“For Jaquelin, everything is clicking right now on and off the field,” Ojulari said. “He’s going to be a very dominant interior lineman for us this year.

“The sky’s the limit … I expect him to have a very dominant season.”

LSU has a lot of talent up front on defense, and if Roy can take the kind of leap that his teammates and coaches expect, it could be enough to take this unit from very good to elite.

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Maason Smith could have a breakout season for LSU

Smith impressed as a true freshman, and he’s expected to take a leap this fall.

With so many new faces on this year’s LSU roster, there are a number of positions of concern entering into the season. Defensive line is not among them.

The Tigers have a talented group that features veterans [autotag]Jaquelin Roy[/autotag] and [autotag]Ali Gaye[/autotag], as well as edge rusher [autotag]BJ Ojulari[/autotag], who is expected to be one of the SEC’s best pass rushers.

But perhaps the most intriguing member of the group is [autotag]Maason Smith[/autotag], a sophomore and former five-star recruit who appeared in nine games and started four during an impressive true freshman campaign in 2021. Smith is expected to have a breakout season, and he was listed by Athlon as one of 50 breakout candidates in college football this fall.

Smith may not post huge statistics as the anchor in the middle of LSU’s defensive line, but the trajectory of his career in Baton Rouge is clearly pointing up. The Louisiana native impressed with 19 stops (five for a loss) and four sacks in nine games as a true freshman last fall.

As mentioned above, Smith may not rake in the stats this season. But his 6-foot-5, 300-pound frame makes him an absolute menace up front that should hinder opponents’ rushing attacks while also wreaking havoc on passing downs.

LSU expects big things from Smith this year, and after the season he turned in last year, he should take a major leap in Year 1 with [autotag]Matt House[/autotag] as his defensive coordinator.

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Kayshon Boutte and BJ Ojulari headline group of Tigers on PFF’s All-SEC team

According to PFF, LSU has plenty of talent to rely upon this fall

LSU might still have some depth issues as it makes its way out of the coaching transition, but there’s plenty of talent at the top.

PFF released its 2022 All-SEC projections and plenty of Tigers made the list.

WR [autotag]Kayshon Boutte[/autotag] was the only representation LSU has on the first team. Boutte is expected to be one of the best playmakers in the country and a first-round pick in 2023. However, he’s coming off a season where an injury ended his year.

The second-team defense had a few Tigers. DE [autotag]B.J. Ojulari[/autotag] and DT [autotag]Jaquelin Roy[/autotag] made the cut.

Both Ojulari and Roy have the talent to be first-round picks next spring.

LB [autotag]Micah Baskerville[/autotag] joined Ojulari and Roy on the second team. Brian Kelly recently spoke about how crowded their linebacker room was but said Baskerville is a player that will certainly help them.

Down on the third team, LSU had a total of five appearances. WR [autotag]Jack Bech[/autotag] was recognized on offense. LSU will need a reliable player like Beck to compliment some of the playmakers they have on the outside.

On the third team defense, LSU was represented by DE [autotag]Ali Gaye[/autotag], LB [autotag]Mike Jones[/autotag], CB [autotag]Mekhi Garner[/autotag], and CB [autotag]Jarrick Bernard-Converse[/autotag].

This would suggest that LSU is capable of having a pretty good defense this year. Positions that were once concerns now have players projected to be some of the best in the SEC.

If DC Matt House can get that system installed, LSU will create problems for opposing offenses.

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LSU DL Maason Smith named to Bruce Feldman’s ‘Freaks’ list

LSU DL Maason Smith could be one of the top DL in the country this fall due to his exceptional athletic ability.

On Wednesday, The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman released his annual “Freaks” list.

According to Feldman, the list is compiled of “the players who generate buzz inside their programs by displaying the unique physical abilities that wow even those who observe gifted athletes every day.”

In other words, these are the guys that jump off the screen. The types of players that NFL scouts can’t get enough of come draft season.

LSU DL Maason Smith made the list, coming in at 12.

Feldman said that Smith hit 19.5 MPH on the GPS this summer and has an 11-foot vertical.

This is a guy who’s listed at 6’5′ and 300 lbs. on LSU’s website. To have that type of athletic ability with that size gives him a chance to do some disruptive things on a football field.

As a freshman, Smith tallied 16 pressures and four sacks despite playing in just nine games. He showed an ability to play all over the line, lining up inside and at defensive end. He has the chance to be a physical force in 2022.

The defensive line should be the strength of LSU’s defense this fall. Along with Smith, the unit is led by B.J. Ojulari and Jaquelin Roy. Transfer Mekhi Wingo, who like Smith, was a freshman last fall, has a chance to be a big contributor as well.

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Tigers’ defensive line expected to be one of the SEC’s best

LSU returns a lot of production up front on defense this fall.

There are several position groups on the field where the Tigers can feel exceedingly confident heading into the 2022 season. On defense, the line of scrimmage stands out as the major strength.

We got a taste of what the unit is capable of during LSU’s spring game, in which the pass rush looked about as impressive as it can when you’re not allowed to touch the opposing quarterback. Led by edge rushers [autotag]BJ Ojulari[/autotag] and [autotag]Ali Gaye[/autotag], as well as a sophomore former five-star in [autotag]Maason Smith[/autotag] and veteran [autotag]Jaquelin Roy[/autotag] on the interior, the group could be dominant this season.

And the depth goes well beyond that with players like [autotag]Saivion Jones[/autotag], [autotag]Mekhi Wingo[/autotag] and [autotag]Zavier Carter[/autotag] providing more promise to the rotation. Given all these factors, it’s unsurprising On3’s Jesse Simonton ranked the Tigers’ defensive line/EDGE group as the SEC’s second best behind only Alabama, which features arguably the best player in the country in edge rusher Will Anderson.

The Tigers have one of the deepest DL rooms in the nation, with a slew of former Top 100 recruits primed for big 2022 seasons. LSU utilized a four-man front last season, but it’s switching to a more hybrid three-linemen look under new DC Matt House. Gaye will provide pressure off one edge, with potential 2023 1st Round pick B.J. Ojulari firing off the other side as a BUCK/JACK rusher. Meanwhile, Roy and former 5-star Maason Smith bring serious interior juice. LSU recorded a solid 38 sacks and 98 tackles for loss in 2021 — two numbers likely to improve with the further development of Ojulari, Roy, Smith and Soni Fonua. LSU also added defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo out of the transfer portal, snagging the 2021 Freshman All-American from Missouri.

After the defense lagged behind in the two seasons coming off the national title in 2019, expectations are high for House to turn things around. With a line like this anchoring the unit, it could be set to take a major step forward.

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AL.com releases preseason All-SEC teams, standings projections for 2022 season

Three LSU players made the preseason All-Conference teams.

We may be stuck right in the middle of the offseason’s doldrums, but it won’t stay that way for long.

SEC Media Days are right around the corner in just about three weeks with fall camp to come shortly after. Before we know it, the 2022 season will be upon us.

With that in mind, Birmingham News/AL.com released its 76th annual preseason SEC projections, which include division predictions and preseason All-Conference squads. Several LSU players appear among the latter.

As we approach the beginning of the first season of the Brian Kelly era, here’s what the folks at Al.com think about the Tigers.

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You can view the full preseason All-SEC list here and the predicted divisional order of finish here.

Trio of LSU players crack CBS Sports 2023 draft board

The Tigers had 10 players drafted in 2022. How many will go next spring?

The ink is barely dry on the rookie contracts signed by former LSU players who were selected in the 2022 NFL draft, but with the summer underway and a new season creeping up on the horizon, it’s not too early to start taking a look at next year’s draft prospects.

Despite a disappointing season on the field, the Tigers ultimately had 10 players selected this year, and with a number of players poised for potential breakouts, there could be a solid haul from coach Brian Kelly’s first season.

CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards, Ryan Wilson and Chris Trapasso recently released a top-50 big board for the 2023 draft class, and three current LSU players cracked the list. Here’s where each of them stands.