Jayden Daniels: Maason Smith is ‘in a better headspace’ after injury recovery

LSU defensive tackle Maason Smith is eager to get back on the field after missing almost all of last season with injury. Smith injured his knee in the first quarter of the 2022 season opener against Florida State and sat out the rest of the year as he recovered.

Now he is back in practice and ready to return to terrorizing opposing quarterbacks in 2023, which will also begin with a game against the Seminoles on Sept. 3. Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels was at the Manning Passing Academy at Nicholl State University this weekend, where he revealed he has seen a determined Smith this offseason.

“It’s crazy,” Daniels said. “I gotta tell him to stay away from me (in practice). But I’m happy to see him out there. I can only imagine how hard it was for him sitting out and watching us play each game and he’s not out there helping us and contributing to the win. I know he’s in a better headspace now. Just going out there and having fun at the end of the day. He knows what he wants to accomplish this year and this season and I have a great feeling he’s gonna do it.”

Smith ranked as the No. 11 overall player and No. 4 defensive lineman in the 2021 class according to the On3 Industry Rating, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He showed why as a true freshman, totaling 19 tackles (five for loss) and four sacks across seven games.

That led to high expectations surrounding the defensive tackle entering his second season. Unfortunately, his year was over before he even got the chance to show how much he had improved.

That has resulted in a determination from Smith this offseason that is evident to his LSU teammates. The Tigers went on to finish 10-4 without him, winning the SEC West division title and the Citrus Bowl against Purdue.

Now with Maason Smith returning from injury, he’ll hope to be a big piece for the LSU defense as the Tigers enter the season with a goal of making the College Football Playoff. They ranked sixth in the SEC in total defense last season and fifth in scoring defense. Key players such as linebacker Harold Perkins and safety Greg Brooks are also back, but Smith back in the fold could ultimately be what takes the Tigers to another level.

If he can be the player many expect him to, the rest of the country better watch out for LSU.

The Bengal Tiger’s Shea Dixon contributed to this article.