I hope Mazi Smith is a hit

[Sydla]

If he's not, they may never use prime capital to get a DT ever again. LOL.

Smith is the most important draft pick we made this year. If he can play his impact is greater than any other player we drafted, including the TE. Schoonmaker is a decent pick but I wonder if he's going to be any more effective than Ferguson, at least for a year or two. The offense also should have Pollard back and with the three WRs, TE is likely a tertiary target in this offense.

But Smith could instantly change the defense if he can anchor the middle.

 

[fivetwos]

He is also very high on the “cant afford to lose” list considering he has never played a down.

They must see immediate returns for a few reasons.

 

[gimmesix]

If he's not, they may never use prime capital to get a DT ever again. LOL.

Smith is the most important draft pick we made this year. If he can play his impact is greater than any other player we drafted, including the TE. Schoonmaker is a decent pick but I wonder if he's going to be any more effective than Ferguson, at least for a year or two. The offense also should have Pollard back and with the three WRs, TE is likely a tertiary target in this offense.

But Smith could instantly change the defense if he can anchor the middle.

I'm interested in seeing if we'll go side-by-side with him and Hankins in the middle on first downs. That's some beef and power in there for our run defense, and depending on who they play at the 1-tech, leaves one of those guys with some 1-on-1 matchups to defeat. If it's just a rotation of him and Hankins at 1-tech, the pick holds much less value to me. We've got the beef up the middle now and we need to use it, put teams in passing situations and bring in the pass rushers.

 

[TwoDeep3]

I do not believe there is a quantifying number fans can put on the character of a player which indicates what to expect going forward. But, it seems to me, from watching the press conference, this young man is articulate and has a nature to be appreciative of those who got him where he is. Surely his work ethic should be obvious. But add to that his thanking the Cowboys for drafting him and his impassioned plea about showing his mother a side of life she has never experienced, and to me, that adds up to a kid who will give 100% to be the player this team needs.

Of all the words I have read about his skill set, I think he has the potential to be the Rock of Gibraltar in the middle of the line. But factor in the above indications of his character, and what appears to be a new found mentor in Micah Parsons, and I am more excited about this pick than I have been for previous selections in the first for Dallas over the past few years.

 

[RonnieT24]

The Cowboys have done really well drafting guys named Smith over the last few decades.. Emmitt, Darren, Tyron, Tyler and who can forget the greatness of Jalen. Okay nobody's perfect.

 

[nate dizzle]

So far Dan Quinn has been pretty solid when it comes to getting the most out of a player. Mazi has a lot to work with so I think we'll see a marked increase in our run defense this season. The rest of our picks I am luke-warm at best on. I think we burned a 2nd on Schoonmaker as we have two clones of him already on the team so I really didn't get that one.

 

[phildadon86]

If he's not, they may never use prime capital to get a DT ever again. LOL.

Smith is the most important draft pick we made this year. If he can play his impact is greater than any other player we drafted, including the TE. Schoonmaker is a decent pick but I wonder if he's going to be any more effective than Ferguson, at least for a year or two. The offense also should have Pollard back and with the three WRs, TE is likely a tertiary target in this offense.

But Smith could instantly change the defense if he can anchor the middle.

My biggest worry is this coaching staff trying to turn him into a pass rusher. His ability against the run is huge but if they ask him to drop weight for example to try and rush more it may hinder his growth. If he can rush at his current weight (which I think he can), we may have a future star here.

The ability is there, he just wasnt asked to rush the passer in college. His stance alone stopped him from being successful at that. Hopefully Durde and Quinn turn this guy into the monster he can be.

 

[JohnsKey19]

He is also very high on the “cant afford to lose” list considering he has never played a down.

They must see immediate returns for a few reasons.

Listening to McClay, they expect immediate starter snaps from Mazi which was part of his reasoning for taking him over an OG in the 1st.

 

[fivetwos]

The Cowboys have done really well drafting guys named Smith over the last few decades.. Emmitt, Darren, Tyron, Tyler and who can forget the greatness of Jalen. Okay nobody's perfect.

Kevin is on that list as well.

And if you want to count Jimmy who was pretty good, just not for us.

 

[Denim Chicken]

Schoonmaker is a decent pick but I wonder if he's going to be any more effective than Ferguson, at least for a year or two. The offense also should have Pollard back and with the three WRs, TE is likely a tertiary target in this offense.

I think you'll see Schoon's contribution mainly in the running game and third downs. I believe he's likely he main TE in 11 due to his blocking prowess and he's a separation guy, so he'll be the safe target ala Shultz on 3rd. They bring Ferg / Henershot in 12 if they want to attack seams downfield.

 

[HomeBiscuit]

This guy will be a monster. How many here expected from 11 what he delivered under Quinn?

 

[Risen Star]

Schoonmaker runs better than Ferguson. That's the only clear upgrade I see in him.

 

[Techsass]

Not sure that he'll hit the ground running, but I absolutely like the pick.

 

[America's Cowboy]

 

[charron]

No doubt Mazi will be a good DT this year and be a complete monster next year.

 

[glimmerman]

They will ease the TE in the game. Mazi is gonna be thrown in. A shame we were not able to keep Ridgeway. He may be a descent player and could have helped Mazi. Looks like Hankins is going to be leaned on. I think we will be improved at DT. Also like the RB we just got. He is a blocker that seems to look for people to run into. A physical guy like Barber. We can only hope he can play like him.

 

[stilltheguru]

They will ease the TE in the game. Mazi is gonna be thrown in. A shame we were not able to keep Ridgeway. He may be a descent player and could have helped Mazi. Looks like Hankins is going to be leaned on. I think we will be improved at DT. Also like the RB we just got. He is a blocker that seems to look for people to run into. A physical guy like Barber. We can only hope he can play like him.

Ridgeway had a grade of like 45. Yall make up his good play out of thin air

 

[ChuckA1]

This guy will be a monster. How many here expected from 11 what he delivered under Quinn?

I expected him to be a great LB. I certainly never expected a great DE. Great job by Quinn

 

[Toro9]

Last true NT Cowboys had was Jason Ferguson. Jay Ratliff kinda.

 

[DeaconMoss]

I do not believe there is a quantifying number fans can put on the character of a player which indicates what to expect going forward. But, it seems to me, from watching the press conference, this young man is articulate and has a nature to be appreciative of those who got him where he is. Surely his work ethic should be obvious. But add to that his thanking the Cowboys for drafting him and his impassioned plea about showing his mother a side of life she has never experienced, and to me, that adds up to a kid who will give 100% to be the player this team needs.

Of all the words I have read about his skill set, I think he has the potential to be the Rock of Gibraltar in the middle of the line. But factor in the above indications of his character, and what appears to be a new found mentor in Micah Parsons, and I am more excited about this pick than I have been for previous selections in the first for Dallas over the past few years.

I value these traits in nearly every position except NT. I want my interior DL to be very simple. Don't need them being articulate and thinking too much. Just eat up blockers, kill the man with the ball and don't jump offsides ever.