Jaguars encouraged by Dawuane Smoot's development

Third-year defensive lineman Dawuane Smoot entered training camp on the roster bubble, but he has impressed the Jaguars' brass this fall.

Since being selected 68th overall in the 2017 NFL Draft, Jaguars defensive lineman Dawuane Smoot has struggled to carve out a consistent role for himself. Through his first two seasons, he failed to collect his first career sack. 

But there was a change in Smoot's play at the end of the 2018 season compared to most of his prior games. His snaps increased following the trade of Dante Fowler Jr. to the Los Angeles Rams at the trade deadline, and though the Jaguars' season was already lost, he made the most of them bystanding out on several occasions. 

He improved as a pass rusher, showing a better ability to get off blocks and disrupt the play, which he struggled with mightily as a rookie. He didn't record a sack, but he was in the backfield much more often, and finally started to show the potential that made him a third round draft pick. 

That improvement has seemingly carried over to this year's training camp. Smoot has impressed during practices and the preseason, leading to Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone speaking glowingly of him Sunday. 

"He’s really changed. I will tell you that he’s come a long way," Marrone said. "I think he has really come a long way. I think he’s playing well, I think we’re going to get some really good snaps out of him. I think we’re going to get productivity."

Marrone said he believes Smoot's improvement has more or less flown under the radar because he is a player who has been on the roster for a few years but hasn't been a starter. But, he said, he has long added depth to the defensive line and special teams, and Marrone is more than pleased with how far he has come. 

"I’m excited to see where he is. He has worked really hard," Marrone said. "He’s a guy that has been through a lot, probably a lot more than what most people have read about because he hasn’t been a starter, but he has worked his butt off. I’m happy where he is. He has done a nice job. He really has.”

While many considered Smoot a potential cut heading into this year's training camp, it looks like he is a lock to make the 53-man roster more and more each day.