​ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JANUARY 04: Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich of the Atlanta Falcons looks on during the first half of the game against the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 04, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) GettyThe Atlanta Falcons made a straight-up defensive line trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars in April that barely registered outside the two fan bases.Five months later, NFL insider James Palmer believes Maason Smith could turn it into one of the more interesting moves of Atlanta’s offseason.Smith has started both games for the Falcons this season, and while his box-score production has been modest, Palmer sees much more coming from the 23-year-old defensive lineman.James Palmer Makes Bold Maason Smith PredictionNFL insider James Palmer listed several notes ahead of Atlanta’s Thursday night matchup against the Green Bay Packers, including one especially strong prediction about Smith.Palmer wrote that Smith “could be a household name by end of season.”That’s a significant call for a player who entered Week 3 with three tackles and one pass defensed through Atlanta’s first two games. Smith hasn’t recorded a sack yet this season, either.The Falcons, however, didn’t acquire him because of what he had already done in Jacksonville. They made the move because of what they believed he still could become.Atlanta sent Ruke Orhorhoro to Jacksonville in exchange for Smith on April 17, swapping two defensive linemen who were both second-round picks in the 2024 NFL Draft. Smith went No. 48 overall to the Jaguars, 13 selections after Atlanta took Orhorhoro.Soon after the trade, Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham made it clear Smith had been on his radar for much longer than that.AtlantaFalcons.com’s Tori McElhaney reported Cunningham had evaluated Smith “since his time at LSU.”“We really are excited about (Smith) in an attacking front and being able to get up field,” Cunningham said. “He’s strong, he’s physical. We’re excited about his upside and getting him with coach Brich (Jeff Ulbrich) and coach (Nate) Ollie to see him take that next step.”Falcons Bet on Maason Smith’s Upside in TradeSmith’s physical tools have never been difficult to spot. Atlanta lists him at 6-foot-5 and 306 pounds, and head coach Kevin Stefanski said after the trade that his ability to work inside was exactly what the Falcons wanted.Cunningham also noted that Smith could play both nose tackle and three-technique, giving Atlanta a different type of interior defender than Orhorhoro.Smith’s path to this point has included plenty of projection. He was a five-star recruit before landing at LSU and earned Freshman All-America honors in 2021. A torn ACL ended his 2022 season almost immediately, and he returned to start 12 games in 2023 before entering the draft.Jacksonville selected him 48th overall in 2024. As a rookie, Smith recorded 17 tackles, three sacks, three tackles for loss an