I hope Mazi Smith is a hit

[exciter]

Stop. Don't do that.

Even if he does super well Mazi will be unnoticed 95% of downs. He will not have sacks. In his best game of the year he might get two tackles.

His role as DT will be limited and he's not the prospect that Parsons was. It will take time and patience. Hyping him only hurts him.

He saves wear and tear on Parsons by absorbing double teams and opens it up for Osa to get penetration up the middle. He does that, anything else is gravy!

 

[plasticman]

Basically it's the job of a NT type D-lineman to get in the way, disrupt the blocking schemes thus forcing RB's to make a detour where the LB's can swoop in and make the play.

This is why Micah was so happy. There will be less opportunity down the middle for O-linemen to get off the line and block out the LB's and safeties.

What Mazi has to do on running plays, pretty much, is stand his ground. He has almost the perfect build and strength to do that.

 

[Macnalty]

We need him to have a full offseason to be able to adjust to NFL and take on NFL OL, for a rookie 1T DT, too much to expect than rotational minutes and few impact plays

This is the NFL and if you can produce something that helps the team they are going to saddle you up without thoughts about longevity and rotational minutes, just see how we deal with Micah Parsons near the end of games when he should be on the sideline. The only easy day was yesterday.

 

[glimmerman]

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

No I was talking about the play he got in washington, not a stud but not bad for someone who got thrown in there. I suspect Mazi will be a playmaker from the beginning.

 

[DanA]

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.

I don’t see that happening.

Dan Quinn will no doubt change his stance, improve his get off, and refine his pass rush technique. But Quinn won’t change what he’s asking his 1-tech’s to do. The last few season that’s involved a lot of stunts and two-gapping which is basically all Mazi did in College.

I also doubt he will be asked to lose weight considering we’ve targeted beef (Bohanna, Ridgeway, Hankins). Even look at how much bigger Gallimore has gotten.

 

[glimmerman]

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.

Was kind of hoping for 2 big boys in the draft. I see we got a DE that they want to bulk up play the D3.

 

[CWR]

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 agree, but Schoon should have an impact blocking regardless. After spending the last couple years watching Schultz whiff he will be a welcomed addition.

 

[INCowboysFan]

My brother-in-law is one of the biggest Michigan fans I know. He immediately texted me after we picked Mazi and said "the guy is a f*cking beast! You will love him in Dallas!" On Schoonmaker, he said "He will be like Witten for you guys, but probably could have taken him in the 3rd or 4th round"

 

[kskboys]

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

I absolutely did.

 

[kskboys]

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.

And push the pocket. That is how the NT pass rushes.

 

[RonnieT24]

And push the pocket. That is how the NT pass rushes.

Yup.. take away the ability for QBs to step up in the pocket. Make them retreat and allow the pass rushers to hunt. This is a pick you and I have been hoping for for easily 15 years, man. I really hope they got it right. I just wish they'd done it maybe 2-3 other times along the way... The 2014 and 2016 teams were both a guy like this away from being Super Bowl worthy.

 

[shabazz]

The good thing for Mazi is that he will be the best DT on this team. Not like hes joining a line that has Donald, Jones or Simmons already there…….and remember that guys like Williams and Lawrence type tackles and others struggled early in their careers so patience is key

 

[shabazz]

And push the pocket. That is how the NT pass rushes.

Exactly. We had too many QBs take off on 3rd and convert because they could get that center push.

even those two QB bums from the Texans took off for conversions up the middle against us last year

 

[Plankton]

You know how you will know if Mazi Smith was worth the pick? If you see the production of Osa Odighizuwa, Damone Clark and Leighton Vander Esch increase, and their number of TFLs or tackles near the LOS increase.

 

[xwalker]

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.

1st round picks are almost always the most important pick after the draft.

 

[xwalker]

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.

9.66 Luke Schoonmaker (16th best of 1105 TEs since 1987).

6.74 Jake Ferguson

9.62 Jason Witten

Previous Blocking TEs
6.23 Blake Bell (Cowboys 2020)
6.17 Scott Chandler (Cowboys 2010)

 

[Toro9]

I think DQ will get him ready for the NFL and inspire him to give it all on every snap. We've needed an anchor since Jason Ferguson. Ratliff kinda played nose but he was undersized.

 

[KDM256]

I just want Mazi to be healthy during his rookie campaign. I feel like the production will come if that's the case.

 

[beware_d-ware]

I don’t see that happening.

Dan Quinn will no doubt change his stance, improve his get off, and refine his pass rush technique. But Quinn won’t change what he’s asking his 1-tech’s to do. The last few season that’s involved a lot of stunts and two-gapping which is basically all Mazi did in College.

I also doubt he will be asked to lose weight considering we’ve targeted beef (Bohanna, Ridgeway, Hankins). Even look at how much bigger Gallimore has gotten.

Yep.

Quinn wants to send undersized speed rushers flying off the edge and run 3-safety looks instead of deploying linebackers. He can't sacrifice size on the rest of his DL with how much size he's already given up elsewhere.

 

[CowboyFanInLexKy]

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.