Drafted by Cowboys 1st Round - Pick 26 - DT Mazi Smith - (Michigan)

[J12B]

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

Stephen was literally on the phone, while we were on the clock....

He was just ordering Pizza Hut for Mike haha.

 

[SuperBowlz]

We've needed a DT for sooo long and people are complaining

 

[BlindFaith]

Based on that tape he needs a lot of coaching before we get any production from him.

Since you seem to be a DT expert, point out three plays where he was so abysmal.

I'll wait, because Im sure your in depth analysis will be worth it.

 

[jblaze2004]

I wonder how true this is

 

[Direwolf63]

Since you seem to be a DT expert, point out three plays where he was so abysmal.

I'll wait, because Im sure your in depth analysis will be worth it.

You don't have to be an expert after watching that. It was pretty clear.

Maybe it was just a bad day. It was for that entire defense. But he was manhandled pretty much every play. He did make a couple of nice plays. But that was about it.

 

[reddyuta]

You don't have to be an expert after watching that. It was pretty clear.

Maybe it was just a bad day. It was for that entire defense. But he was manhandled pretty much every play. He did make a couple of nice plays. But that was about it.

his tape against Ohio state is only slightly better.

 

[eromeopolk]

Mazi Smith, the big, physical tackle who commanded plenty of attention from opposing offenses the last couple of years, has decided to leave school and go pro. The Michigan defensive tackle will forego his remaining eligibility and declare for the 2023 NFL Draft, according to a Monday afternoon report from ESPN's Adam Schefter. Smith, a consensus first-team all-Big Ten defensive lineman, has not yet announced announced his decision publicly - but Michigan defensive coordinator Jesse Minter acknowledged the news Monday, writing on social media: "Go be great Mazi!"

The move doesn't come as a big surprise. Asked about his future after Michigan's loss to Texas Christian in the Fiesta Bowl, Smith sounded conflicted and told MLive he needed to solicit advice from his mother. The 6-foot-3, 337-pound Smith posted a career-high season in 2022, totaling 48 tackles (2 1/2 for a loss), half a sack and a forced fumble in 14 starts. He was also named college football's preseason No. 1 "freak" by The Athletic. - Ann Arbor News

Through Michigan's strength staff, Bruce Feldman found out that: Mazi Smith has benched 22 reps of 325 pounds (not the typical 225), close-grip benched 550 pounds, posts a 44-inch vertical jump, and broad-jumped 9 feet, 4 1/2 inches. And that's just his power and agility. As for speed, well, Smith has that, too. The Grand Rapids, Mich., native has clocked a shuttle time of 4.41 seconds, which Feldman notes would've tied any defensive tackle at the NFL Scouting Combine this year; a 3-cone drill time of 6.95 seconds, which would have been the fastest; and a 60-yard shuttle of 11.90 seconds.

Perhaps even more impressive, however, is Smith's performance in some of the drills Herbert and his staff ask the players to take part in. In one specific drill, players attempt to jump up a series of seven 26-inch high stairs as fast as they can. The program record is apparently 2.21 seconds, and Smith did it in 2.82 seconds. (For comparison, Aidan Hutchinson, who was No. 2 on Feldman's 'freaks' list last year and is 60 pounds lighter than Smith, did it in 2.57 seconds.) Smith even dominated Michigan's combo-twist machine aimed to measure resistance in the trenches, forcing the strength staff to call the manufacturer to have more weight added to the machine. "Mazi's rotational strength is ridiculous," Herbert told The Athletic, touting Smith as the strongest defensive lineman he's seen in his 25 years in football. "He is an incredible combination of rare traits packaged into one player. He is just ridiculously strong and powerful."

Michigan football star Mazi Smith admitted to his mistakes in front of Ann Arbor's 15th District Court Judge Karen Quinlan Valvo on Thursday afternoon and said that he learned his lesson during his sentencing for a misdemeanor gun crime. "I've had an opportunity to learn," said Smith. "I learned immediately in the back of a police car, but I had an opportunity to turn this into a lesson quickly." Valvo sentenced Smith to 12 months of probation, under the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act (HYTA).

The act gives young adults a chance at avoiding a criminal record if they successfully complete the conditions given to them. Smith's attorney, John Shea, originally asked for the 12-month probation to be reduced to six months but Judge Valvo rejected the request. Instead, she told Smith that if he completes six months with no violations he can request an early discharge. As of now, he is set to appear again Dec. 28 for his final discharge. - The Detroit News

 

[SackMaster]

I love the position and with the little I know about any of the prospects in the draft this year, the player looks good-to-go too.

Besides, name the last Smith the Cowboys drafted that sucked?

 

[Risen Star]

 

[Risen Star]

 

[Blast From The Past]

I tend to view it a little differently. Mazi himself won’t make a ton of splash plays. But when guys like parsons, Lawrence, Sam Williams, Dante Fowler, etc don’t have to worry about covering a gaping hole in the middle on 1st and 2nd down
And they aren’t getting double teamed because Mazi is eating up blocks. It frees them up to focus on getting upfield and making splash plays, tackles for loss, sacks, etc.

So Mazi won’t make the splash plays himself but he will allow others to make more. That’s where his value will shine.

He will do the dirty work and be the unsung hero. Something we have desperately been missing for years on this team. Finally addressed a glaring need on this defense. I'm sure he will be part of a rotation on that line.

 

[Jumbo075]

I love the position and with the little I know about any of the prospects in the draft this year, the player looks good-to-go too.

Besides, name the last Smith the Cowboys drafted that sucked?

Jaylon...

 

[Beast_from_East]

If Micah is that hyped for the pick and actually lobbied Dan Quinn for the dude, then that is good enough for me.

 

[StarLord]

Because stopping the run really doesn’t matter.

Explosive plays are all that matters. Not run stuffing.

With premium picks we need big play players.

This pick did squat for us.

Strongly disagree. Who are our current rivals/threats in the NFC? Philly and San Fran.. what do they do against us? Run the ball well.

Further, Maxi clogging lanes, not allowing the QBs to step up in the pocket, will allow for more "big play players" to make more plays on the ball.

 

[SackMaster]

Jaylon...

DOH!!!!! I guess I really tried to forget about him.

 

[Jumbo075]

I've watched and listened to some interviews of Mazi Smith. Seems like a humble, hard-working player. A bit of an introvert. He spent the night watching the draft at home with his mother - no big party. He's understated in his interviews, and stresses that he wants to get to work.

In an interview in Michigan by Wolverine beat writers, he was asked what he says to NFL coaches. His reply was a little surprising. Instead of tooting his own horn, he deferred, mentioning that the NFL coaches were pretty smart, and he was more interested in listening to them talk about how he could improve his game. This kid is going to be very teachable, and should blossom under Dan Quinn.

 

[Creeper]

People are making a lot of good points but I wanted to get my 2 cents worth in as well.

First, regardless of how he turns out as a player I am happy to see the Cowboys select a DT in the first round for the 1st time in over 30 years. It tells me they see the problem we have been seeing and they addressed it in the draft.

What I really like about him is he appears to be a hard worker. That makes him more of a sure thing than even Jalen Carter who frankly had some yellow flags around him. The Eagles taking Carter at 9 sounds great but only if Carter is nothing like all the pre-draft publicity he received.

I think Smith's floor is going to be a solid if not spectacular DT. He is the kind of strong guy they have needed for some time. His upside is he will be a force in the middle who will command attention from offensive lines.

As for negatives, the biggest negative is it takes DTs a year or two to develop, sometimes 3. It takes a commitment from the team that drafts them. I prefer to fill this spot in free agency but the Cowboys don't do free agency so we have Mazi Smith who will develop into a stud in 2 or 3 years then become a free agent 2 years later. In any case, I don;t expect much out of Smith in 2023, but in 2025 he will earn his 1st round draft status.

 

[BlindFaith]

You don't have to be an expert after watching that. It was pretty clear.

Maybe it was just a bad day. It was for that entire defense. But he was manhandled pretty much every play. He did make a couple of nice plays. But that was about it.

So tell me where he was manhandled. Shouldnt be hard, right?

I mean you obviously know what the scheme was that they had him in. Right? And you know what a double team is? Right?

So tell me which plays he was getting pushed back 2 or 3 yards on.

What I saw was a guy who was doubled at the point, and always had another guy with eyes on him even when he was backside of the play.

I also saw a guy who was able to get on the other side of the LOS, even when their schemes focused on him.

Also saw him chase down some plays. From a guy who is 325 lbs.

So again, what did you see that should convince anyone that knows football that this guy was manhandled?

 

[Beast_from_East]

No I want guys the impact the pass game with premium picks.

Not run stuffers lol.

This is just common sense.

Dallas didn’t get better today sadly.

I beg to differ my friend, Dallas was 22nd against the run last season.

Mazi is considered the best run stuffing DT in the draft.

Explain how addressing the biggest weakness of the defense with a 1st round pick does not make the team better?