Maason Smith is starting to make the Ruke Orhorhoro trade look like a steal for the Atlanta Falcons.
When Ian Cunningham took over as general manager, one of his first priorities was fortifying the middle of the defensive line. Atlanta had been one of the league’s worst teams against the run in 2025, and Cunningham went hunting for size and explosiveness up front. That led to one of his first moves: sending Orhorhoro to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for Maason Smith, a 6-foot-5, 306-pound defensive tackle.
The deal puzzled plenty of Falcons fans at the time, but Smith has backed up the belief behind it. The former second-round pick, selected 13 spots after Orhorhoro in the 2024 NFL Draft, never really got a runway in Jacksonville.
In Atlanta, he has become a difference-maker. ESPN research had him leading all defensive tackles with a 27% pass-rush win-rate entering Week 7.
Smith has been part of a deep rotation along a line that also features Brandon Dorlus and Gervon Dexter Sr., but his best showing yet came in the Falcons’ 29-20 upset of the San Francisco 49ers. He logged his first sack as a Falcon - and his first since December of 2024 as a rookie - while also posting two tackles, two tackles for loss, and forcing a key fumble on 49ers rookie running back Kaelon Black. That turnover shut down a San Francisco drive that was pressing toward the red zone.
While Orhorhoro and the Jaguars were on bye, Smith helped deliver Atlanta’s biggest statement win of the season. He was everywhere in the game, and his 75.6 PFF grade was among the best on the team and 17th among defensive tackles.
Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski called him "a man possessed", and the line fit.
"That's a man possessed," Stefanski said. "And that's a big man, when possessed, to slow down.
I looked up a couple times, and he's winning. He's winning quickly, and harassing the offensive line, harassing the quarterback, so yeah, he was moving."
Smith has played nearly twice as many snaps as Orhorhoro has for Jacksonville this season, and the Falcons have needed every bit of that production. He is third in PFF pass-rushing grade, which tells the story pretty plainly: this is not just a guy eating snaps. He’s affecting games.
For Cunningham, the move is looking better by the week. And with Nate Ollie getting Smith to play at this level, Atlanta’s trade with Jacksonville is starting to look like a win in a big way.
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