Mazi Smith PFF season to date summary and commentary

[Centex]

Well. Maybe Mazi and Schoonmaker being Michigan men can at least help steal signs.

 

[stiletto]

Haven't seen ANY promising signs from that guy. Not good.

 

[TheCoolFan]

When I saw Mazi on the field Sunday, I noticed he doesn't even look that big anymore...if you compare him and Hankins, he looks way smaller. Maybe now they're trying to slim him down and turn him into a traditional Dan Quinn (and Marinelli) 3-Tech

 

[wick]

We drafted a DT whose only calling card is stopping the run…and he’s bad at it.

Is it too early to be definitive about where this is going? Sure. But he’s very likely a complete washout.

 

[DuncanIso]

We drafted a DT whose only calling card is stopping the run…and he’s bad at it.

Is it too early to be definitive about where this is going? Sure. But he’s very likely a complete washout.

He will likely play out his contract.

Go UFA and leave.

 

[pitt33]

I looked up currant Michigan players in the NFL. Besides maybe Aidan Hutchinson it’s not an impressive list. Of course Jourdan Lewis is on there.

Besides Brady, Charles Woodson and Desmond Howard the all-time isn’t that impressive either. Which was a surprise to me for some reason.

Your observation is correct.

Few Michigan players pan out at the next level.

 

[KingintheNorth]

The concerns with him was whether or not football was important to him.

Not that he's a bad kid or has discipline issues. More of a gentle giant.

The Jones' typically don't care about the concerns because nothing happens if they blow the pick.

 

[Doomsday]

He has the physical tools but is raw technique-wise, I am not going to write him off until next season.

edit: I don't trust PFF either though so there is that.

 

[BleedSilverandBlue]

Good thing we didn't spend that pick on a quality offensive linemen who could come in and contribute right away instead of waiting for years for some mythical promise of ALL-PRO seasons to come.

That’s the thing. I was not a huge fan of the pick (or really the Cowboys whole 2023 draft strategy) because it is mind numbingly stupid to waste draft capital on players that are likely to take years to develop, if they develop at all, when you are very much in a “win now” situation with your current roster.

I seriously don’t think Cowboys leadership understands the concept of “win now” and how it should inform your roster building.

It is becoming completely and utterly infuriating to watch year after year.

 

[buybuydandavis]

We have had zero contributions from this draft class. So between that and really nothing done in free agency. We are running it back with the same team. Other teams kno how to get better.

Ugh

Draft Class
Rd PFF
1 41.9 (Mazi is losing to the obviously washed up Hankins at 45.1. DT is till our worst position, by far.)
2 41.8
3 IR
4 0 Snaps
5 66.4 (Asim Richards is a tiny bit of overlooked good news.)
6 43.8
7 56.1 (Jalen Brooks has played 20 off snaps with 0 targets. Generous participation score.)

 

[Blast From The Past]

I will give him time but I hope he isn't another Michigan DT bust.

If he ends up busting then let it be known the Cowboys will not take another DT Wolverine from Michigan ever again. My suggestion only but hey why keep going to that well when it always ends up dry Jerry Jones? Hoping for development time for Mazi to get bigger and stronger and also learn the pro game before really judging him. We shall see.

 

[Quint]

What if we just got him on a new eating plan? 18,000 calories a day. No exercise. Hotdogs.... ice cream sundaes topped with hotdogs... buckets of mayonnaise... just high fat, high calorie, low nutrition diet...and get this blubber-boy up to 900 lbs.

Then just have him lay down in the middle of the line on each play.. and spread his fat out. If he got enormous enough, RBs would have no choice but to run around him...and that could take quote some time.

Dude. You just described a perfect hockey goalie. Are you allowed to zip tie appendages to the crossbar?

 

[darthseinfeld]

We have had zero contributions from this draft class. So between that and really nothing done in free agency. We are running it back with the same team. Other teams kno how to get better.

Gilmore has been the only addition really doing anything. TJ Bass has probably been our 2nd most impactfull newcomer, and he has played 130 snaps

 

[big dog cowboy]

I think you missed some...

Will anderson - 20 tackles
Jalen Carter - 9 tackles

Nah just taken too high and aren't really relevant.

 

[Motorola]

Reading opnions about the draft, and comments + threads about his play from preseason and halfway through 2023 ----
Mazi Smith represents a footsball philosophical divide among Czers /Cowboys fans in general.

There are two camps:
Camp A. Fans who subscribe to the draft adage that an NFL 1st round pick- no matter what position - is supposed to make an impact his rookie season, be it ascending to a starting role, or getting significant playing time in a rotation, and being successful on the field.
A1 - Fans state that if a team's draft board rates say, no more than 18 to 22 players or so to be classified as legitimate 1st rounders, said team should move up to select a true high-grade guy, or trade back into the 2nd round (ala Travis Frederick in 2013) ---unless a rated 1st rounder drops to them at their lower pick.

Camp B. Fans who believe certain positions require an adjustment 1st season to be coached up for transition from the college to NFL level of play, no matter how talented and productive the rookie was playing on Saturdays.
B1. Many state that the interior DLine, i.e. 1Tech, is one of those spots.
The adapatation-improvement in play will be gradual, and might not significantly show up until the second season.

In the case of Mazi, some fans state that the Cowboys knew that if they chose him that he would be a project, given his position and the way he was coached and utilized at Michigan. Despite his athletic ability and strength, much of Smith's method of play, along with technique, would have to be reworked and skills added to fit the pro game.
Also, it has been revealed that on that draft board Smith was one of two players the Cowboys were targeting to pick at 26 overall - no matter if he was not graded as a legitimate 1st round talent (the other being G Matthew Bergeron, who went to the Falcons at No. 38)

In summary -- unless he makes a quantum leap in his play to contribute during the final half of the regular season and into the playoffs - Mazi Smith will be seen as a major disappointment by Camp A, while Camp B is of a wait-and-see how it goes from here on out, and into the 2024 season.

A long post - but I just wanted to explain how vastly different fans view the draft pick round, the position, and the player.
Just my opinion on reading all the comments about Mazi - from the draft up to this thread.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

PICK NO. 26: DALLAS COWBOYS: DI MAZI SMITH​

Overall Rookie Grade: 41.9 (Rank: 12/13)
Principal Opponent: Landon Dickerson
Week 9 Snaps: 12
Week 9 Grade: 35.4

Though he played just 12 snaps, Smith finished with a team-low 35.4 overall grade and 40.8 run-defense grade. He struggled a couple of times with Jason Kelce’s footwork in the zone running game and with Landon Dickerson‘s strength. Smith currently carries the third-lowest run defense grade among qualified defensive tackles (30.2).

https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-grading-all-first-round-picks-week-9-2023-nfl-season

Apparently weight room strength in this case not translating to football strength. A guy his size should not be handled so easily. There is time for the light to come on but.....

what a waste of a 2023 draft. none is contributing. reminds me of the 2009 draft where we focused on special teams!

 

[plasticman]

Hall of Famer, 7-time 1st Team All Pro. 9-time Pro Bowler, Super Bowl 27 co-MVP Randy White would have been considered a bust his rookie season.

 

[SlammedZero]

This could be a double-edged sword too if he busts out. Not only would it be a colossal waste of a 1st rounder, but if he does end up busting it'll probably scare the Jones' boys away from addressing DT ever again.

I appreciate them trying to address it in the draft, but you could have got this kind of production in later rounds.

Like others, I'm willing to give the kid time, but so far it looks 'eek'.

 

[dreameaglegreen]

Nah just taken too high and aren't really relevant.

Tyree Wilson - 7 tackles
Lukas Van Ness - 10 tackles
Will McDonald IV - 1 tackle
Calijah Kancey - 4 tackles
MAZI - 4 tackles
Myles Murphy - 4 tackles
Bryan Bresee - 7 tackles
Felix Anudike-Uzomah - 9 tackles
Isaiah Foskey - 3 tackles
Keion White - 0 tackles

Maybe for anderson, but you listed wilson who was taken 7th, while carter was taken 9th. It's all good, I love reading the hate between the lines. Would it not feel better, just to say I hate the eagles, and i ain't listing their pick instead of lying.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

PICK NO. 26: DALLAS COWBOYS: DI MAZI SMITH​

Overall Rookie Grade: 41.9 (Rank: 12/13)
Principal Opponent: Landon Dickerson
Week 9 Snaps: 12
Week 9 Grade: 35.4

Though he played just 12 snaps, Smith finished with a team-low 35.4 overall grade and 40.8 run-defense grade. He struggled a couple of times with Jason Kelce’s footwork in the zone running game and with Landon Dickerson‘s strength. Smith currently carries the third-lowest run defense grade among qualified defensive tackles (30.2).

https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-grading-all-first-round-picks-week-9-2023-nfl-season

Apparently weight room strength in this case not translating to football strength. A guy his size should not be handled so easily. There is time for the light to come on but.....

Mazi is meh. Having said tha, the lad is only a rook and is learning the scheme and then the nuances of the line.
At his rook salary, he is a bargain compared to other millionaire players who are not fulfilling their promise.