Report: Falcons swap DL Ruke Orhorhoro for Jaguars DL Maason Smith

TL;DR

The Atlanta Falcons have traded defensive lineman Ruke Orhorhoro to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for Maason Smith. Both players were drafted in 2024, with Orhorhoro being the 35th pick and Smith the 48th.

Key points

Falcons traded Ruke Orhorhoro to Jaguars for Maason Smith
Orhorhoro was the 35th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft
Smith was the 48th pick in the same draft class
Orhorhoro had 3.5 sacks last year
Smith had three sacks as a rookie but none last year

Atlanta FalconsJacksonville Jaguars

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - DECEMBER 29: Ruke Orhorhoro #98 of the Atlanta Falcons warms up prior to facing the Los Angeles Rams at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 29, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images It isn’t very often that you see two players from the same draft class traded for one another just two years after they were drafted, and it’s even less often that you see that happen with a player one franchise moved up for in that particular draft class. Yet Adam Schefter is reporting that the Falcons have traded Ruke Orhorhoro, the 35th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, for Jacksonville Jaguars defensive lineman Maason Smith, the 48th pick. This is a stunner for a variety of reasons. Orhorhoro was a player the Falcons coveted enough to move up for in 2024, and while that was a defensive coordinator, a head coach, and a general manager ago, it’s still jarring. Orhorhoro has yet to live up to his second round billing, but he had 3.5 sacks last year as part of an active, disruptive front. Smith, meanwhile, had three sacks as a rookie but none a year ago, playing a little more than half of Orhorhoro’s snaps for Jacksonville. We’ll see what the team says about the move, but at first glance it feels like the team simply deciding Smith would be a better fit than Orhorhoro. While he was productive at times last year, Orhorhoro struggled quite a bit against the run, while the slightly bigger (1 inch taller, 10 pounds heavier per his listing) Smith may well be viewed as a better fit. Smith was a capable pass rusher a year ago despite the lack of sacks and is one year younger to the day than Orhorhoro, as well, so this would appear to be a new staff and Jeff Ulbrich deciding Orhorhoro was not an ideal fit for their defensive front and Smith would be an upgrade.

Q&A

Why did the Falcons trade Ruke Orhorhoro for Maason Smith?

The Falcons likely believe Maason Smith is a better fit for their defensive front compared to Ruke Orhorhoro, who struggled against the run.

What were Ruke Orhorhoro's stats before the trade?

Before the trade, Ruke Orhorhoro recorded 3.5 sacks last year but did not fully meet expectations as a second-round pick.

How does Maason Smith's performance compare to Ruke Orhorhoro's?

Maason Smith had three sacks as a rookie but none the following year, while Orhorhoro had 3.5 sacks last season, indicating both players have had inconsistent performances.