5 breakout stars to watch for Jacksonville Jaguars in 2020

ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 22: Gardner Minshew II #15 of the Jacksonville Jaguars gestures with the ball during the second half of a game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 22, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) /

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2. DE Dawuane Smoot

Defensive end Dawuane Smoot appeared in 24 games his first two seasons in the NFL and failed to record a sack. But things changed for him this past year as he finished fourth on the club with a half-dozen quarterback traps.

The strides made by the former University of Illinois defender were the results of hard work during the offseason. A 2018 season in which he spent half the year inactive was motivation enough.

“I definitely felt like I had a big chip on my shoulder last year after those eight games,” said Smoot last summer to John Oehser of Jaguars.com. “I felt like I should have been playing. I just took it as a chip on my shoulder and it brought it up out of me more than anything…

“There were a lot of ups and downs. I felt like I wasn’t as consistent as I would have liked to be. At the end of the day, I really just believed in myself and I just put everything out there. I feel like I’m definitely better for going through it — from going through scout team, from going through not playing for eight games. It’s been trying mentally, and I feel like I definitely overcame it.”

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