Mazi Smith 2023 Stats

[Jerryrage]

2023 Season Stats​

Solo Tackles
8T-125th

Assists
6T-97th

Sacks
1T-78th

Forced Fumbles
0

I was correct at the start of the season by saying he wasn't that great. This is proof I was correct, took a ton of heat but stood by my assessment of this bust.

 

[KingintheNorth]

It's early.

The issue was they drafted him to help the Run Defense.

He didn't and he also decided to lose 30 plus lbs.

Did he do this on his own? If so, why?

Was he instructed to do this? If so, fire that person.

Also, only the Cowboys think throwing a single draft pick at this will fix the run defense. No need for LB's who weigh over 220 lbs, we have Mazi!

 

[big dog cowboy]

I was correct at the start of the season by saying he wasn't that great. This is proof I was correct

So you are saying that based off his rookie stats is all the proof you need to show you were correct?

Exactly how many stats did you expect? I'm guessing you had unrealistic goals set for him before the season began.

We all knew before the season he was going to limited snaps and more than likely wasn't going to make very much of an impact this year.

Just 9 months after being drafted it's impossible to say what kind of player he will be even next year.

 

[timb2]

Randy White wasn't that good as a rookie. He needed time to develop. Too early to pass judgement on Year 1 wait till Year 3.

 

[KingintheNorth]

You only get 4 years on the rookie deal maybe 5. I love the apologist approach. Can’t say he’s a bust until 4 years, then after 4, just brush it off as “every team misses. “


But also claim the Cowboys are the best drafting team.


Taco Charlton, Trysten Hill, Kelvin Joseph, are all early draft picks that point otherwise. You aren’t allowed to ignore the bad picks. They count too.

 

[Pessimist_cowboy]

2023 Season Stats​

Solo Tackles
8T-125th

Assists
6T-97th

Sacks
1T-78th

Forced Fumbles
0

I was correct at the start of the season by saying he wasn't that great. This is proof I was correct, took a ton of heat but stood by my assessment of this bust.

Exact same stats as Jordan Davis last year who Philly media calls a bust.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

I still think it’s too early to declare him an outright “bust” but his rookie season was forgettable. The issues I saw with him at Michigan were apparent (ex. slow off the snap, complete lack of ball awareness, etc.) despite my best efforts to rationalize away.

I can’t call him a bust yet but there’s got to be noticeable marked improvement in Year 2 from him.

 

[big dog cowboy]

You only get 4 years on the rookie deal maybe 5. I love the apologist approach. Can’t say he’s a bust until 4 years, then after 4, just brush it off as “every team misses. “

But also claim the Cowboys are the best drafting team.

Taco Charlton, Trysten Hill, Kelvin Joseph, are all early draft picks that point otherwise. You aren’t allowed to ignore the bad picks. They count too.

Every team has them. That isn't something exclusive to just the Cowboys.

 

[cnuball21]

2023 Season Stats​

Solo Tackles
8T-125th

Assists
6T-97th

Sacks
1T-78th

Forced Fumbles
0

I was correct at the start of the season by saying he wasn't that great. This is proof I was correct, took a ton of heat but stood by my assessment of this bust.

DTs usually take a year or 2, but man he was an incredible disappointment. Like almost a complete non factor.

Fingers crossed he turns into a stud but not holding my breath. Definition of why you don’t take need over BPA.

 

[bleachedwheat]

Benton showed up for Pittsburgh this year and a lot of people on this board liked Benton more than Mazi. Mazi was overdrafted and so was Schoonmaker. I said that when they were picked, sometimes I hate being right.

 

[Mac_MaloneV1]

The dude can't get off the ball I don't care if he's the best athlete in NFL history. He is late to everything.

I don't know what's supposed to happen to improve his reaction time lol

 

[1942willys]

Randy White wasn't that good as a rookie. He needed time to develop. Too early to pass judgement on Year 1 wait till Year 3.

you had to dig that deep to find a comparison?

 

[LACowboysFan1]

So you are saying that based off his rookie stats is all the proof you need to show you were correct?

Exactly how many stats did you expect? I'm guessing you had unrealistic goals set for him before the season began.

We all knew before the season he was going to limited snaps and more than likely wasn't going to make very much of an impact this year.

Just 9 months after being drafted it's impossible to say what kind of player he will be even next year.

How many first round draft picks are expected to not have much of an impact? Especially on the d-line, where, as many here said, his job is to just "plug up the middle" and "he's not going to have many stats, there's no stat for just taking up space". That doesn't take a whole lot of technique.

First round picks are expected to show something, don't have to start, but if you watched Mazi all this year, he's done basically nothing when he's in there. Most of the time he's pushed back, at best he manages to stand his ground against average o-linemen.

Now I'm perfectly willing to give him time, not everybody develops at the same rate. He may yet turn out well.

My problem is not so much Mazi himself, it's that Dallas took him in the first round knowing that in college, he showed little or no pass rushing ability. This isn't the 1950's, teams throw the ball more often. Your NT has to be able to put on some kind of a pass rush. Remember Jay Ratliff? In the 6 years he played all or nearly all the games in a season, he had 24 sacks. And he was a 7th round draft pick.

But at this point, Mazi has been a disappointment...

 

[big dog cowboy]

How many first round draft picks are expected to not have much of an impact?

My problem is not so much Mazi himself, it's that Dallas took him in the first round knowing that in college, he showed little or no pass rushing ability. This isn't the 1950's, teams throw the ball more often. Your NT has to be able to put on some kind of a pass rush.

When the Cowboys drafted Mazi they (as all teams do that draft that late in the 1st) had a 2nd round grade on him. No team has that many first round grade player on their board. He wasn't a top 5 or top 10 or even a top 20 pick. With Mazi, they knew he needed work and knew he would get limited number of snaps. Therefore, his stats wouldn't be good. I'm surprised some fans thought he would come in and set the world on fire.

The Cowboys thought they had enough DL who could pass rush. They wanted a DT to stop the run. The hope is he develops a pass rush and many seemed to think he can. I'm very anxious to see what he does next September.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

The hope is he develops a pass rush and many seemed to think he can

Oh great, just draft a guy who can't do what you need and "hope" he can do something that in 30 games of college football he couldn't. 30 games and 0.5 sacks.

What's next, draft a wide receiver who catches 20% of the passes thrown to him and hope he can turn into another Michael Irvin?

 

[big dog cowboy]

Oh great, just draft a guy who can't do what you need and "hope" he can do something that in 30 games of college football he couldn't. 30 games and 0.5 sacks.

He showed the ability according to the professional scouts. He wasn't asked to do it on college (or got much opportunity to) that's why is number is ridiculously low.

In the limited snaps he had this year he got 1 sack. Statistically that ratio is a huge jump compared to college.

That's what the draft is. Every player is drafted on the hope he will get better. No reason to single Mazi out.

 

[cnuball21]

How many first round draft picks are expected to not have much of an impact? Especially on the d-line, where, as many here said, his job is to just "plug up the middle" and "he's not going to have many stats, there's no stat for just taking up space". That doesn't take a whole lot of technique.

First round picks are expected to show something, don't have to start, but if you watched Mazi all this year, he's done basically nothing when he's in there. Most of the time he's pushed back, at best he manages to stand his ground against average o-linemen.

Now I'm perfectly willing to give him time, not everybody develops at the same rate. He may yet turn out well.

My problem is not so much Mazi himself, it's that Dallas took him in the first round knowing that in college, he showed little or no pass rushing ability. This isn't the 1950's, teams throw the ball more often. Your NT has to be able to put on some kind of a pass rush. Remember Jay Ratliff? In the 6 years he played all or nearly all the games in a season, he had 24 sacks. And he was a 7th round draft pick.

But at this point, Mazi has been a disappointment...

Preach.

 

[CooterBrown]

Randy White wasn't that good as a rookie. He needed time to develop. Too early to pass judgement on Year 1 wait till Year 3.

Randy White was a linebacker his rookie year. Landry saw him being the Cowboys version of Dick Butkus. The next year Landry moved him back to DL and he became the Manster. No comparison between he and Mazi Smith at all.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

Every player is drafted on the hope he will get better. No reason to single Mazi out.

Of course every drafted player you hope will get better, the NFL is at the very least different than college football, how many players have remarked how much faster the pro game is? Takes a bit of adjusting for probably 95% of new players.

But there's a huge difference between hoping (actually it's expecting, not hoping) a player will get better vs. a first round player who seems hopelessly overmatched most of the time. Despite the Packers running up the middle against Dallas all day, Mazi got FOUR snaps. Four!

For a first round pick, that's abysmal.

 

[Mr_437]

I'm concerned. The production in college wasn't substantial, and in the league, my Guy, loses a noticeable amount of weight. I guess, my question is what's the plan for Mazi?