Mazi Smith Playing Time

[charron]

Coaches and players mentoring him will add those intangibles. He just has to be hungry enough and let experience come to him. He‘ll probably have good games followed by bad ones where an OLineman will school him.

Correct and how they respond to those bad games or bad plays etc will tell you how his career will probably go. You put Micah's mentality in the Mazi body and it's like playing a game in god mode.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Would his draft status have any impact on this

It shouldn't. If it does, then DQ and the Cowboys have a whole other issue we need to discuss.

 

[CCBoy]

Rotation, for sure. He will be used situationally… which is the right thing to do.

He played almost 50 snaps per game in college. That is way too much for a big guy… particularly one who will be taking on double teams much of the time.

The amount of exertion put out by big guys like that is crazy. He will need frequent breaks. As it should be.

I won’t hazard a guess as to how many snaps he will play, but Quinn will use him judiciously. He will probably play some 3T on some run downs, so that will likely up his snaps a bit.

It's nice to have two mobile trash cans full of dirt and Parsons says thanks!

 

[darthseinfeld]

I think everyone is excited to see this young man get on the field and make this defense great. With that said, we have depth on the d-line, and the cowboys often like to rotate guys in. Do you feeling Smith will play a lot, or he'll be in a rotation as usual. Would his draft status have any impact on this, please give your thoughts...

Likely about 35% to 40% this year. He will have a similar role as Jordan Davis did, but will probably get more snaps because we arent as deep as Philly. Dallas played in under 300 snaps in 13 games

 

[CCBoy]

What's Next:: Smith comes into Dallas with an expectation to provide immediate support with his 6-foot-3, 337-pound frame in the run game for a Cowboys defense that was 22nd in rushing yards allowed in 2022. His job in year one is simple: plug the middle. Anything beyond that is playing with house money – such as his expected pass-rush unlocking under Dan Quinn – and anything additional he can contribute will only help solidify his role as the starting defensive tackle with Johnathan Hankins still factored into the equation. Adding strength to the defensive line room will also play a key role in what Smith can contribute in year one as Cowboys veterans have already pointed to his power being some of the strongest seen on the defensive line in recent times.

Bet You Didn't Know: Mazi Smith came in at No. 1 on Bruce Feldman's College Football "Freaks List" on The Athletic in 2022 ahead of his senior season because of his combination of size and agility. Feldman called Smith "so rare, in fact, it's hard to find the right superlative to begin with." Other players in the list's top ten included Marvin Harrison Jr., Kelee Ringo and fellow first-round pick Calijah Kancey.

https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/role-call-what-to-expect-from-mazi-smith

 

[buybuydandavis]

I doubt starting off that he'll be in in passing situations, at least not until he shows something as a pass rusher. So, first downs for sure. Second, if we give up 4 or more yards on first down. Short yardage and goal line. Hankins played on around 35 percent of the snaps last year after he joined us, and I would think Mazi's numbers would be similar. If he shows the ability to be disruptive against the pass, it could increase to around 60 percent.

In terms of pass rush, I expect that *at most* he'll be in when we want a balanced run/pass defense. If it's a clear passing down, he's out, and the larger DE/DT tweeners man the interior dline.
That's the way Quinn rolls.

Everyone's all excited about Mazi pass rushing.

I'm excited to see Mazi *and* Hankins in short yardage.

 

[buybuydandavis]

What's Next:: Smith comes into Dallas with an expectation to provide immediate support with his 6-foot-3, 337-pound frame in the run game for a Cowboys defense that was 22nd in rushing yards allowed in 2022. His job in year one is simple: plug the middle. Anything beyond that is playing with house money – such as his expected pass-rush unlocking under Dan Quinn – and anything additional he can contribute will only help solidify his role as the starting defensive tackle with Johnathan Hankins still factored into the equation. Adding strength to the defensive line room will also play a key role in what Smith can contribute in year one as Cowboys veterans have already pointed to his power being some of the strongest seen on the defensive line in recent times.

Bet You Didn't Know: Mazi Smith came in at No. 1 on Bruce Feldman's College Football "Freaks List" on The Athletic in 2022 ahead of his senior season because of his combination of size and agility. Feldman called Smith "so rare, in fact, it's hard to find the right superlative to begin with." Other players in the list's top ten included Marvin Harrison Jr., Kelee Ringo and fellow first-round pick Calijah Kancey.

https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/role-call-what-to-expect-from-mazi-smith

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

I think everyone is excited to see this young man get on the field and make this defense great. With that said, we have depth on the d-line, and the cowboys often like to rotate guys in. Do you feeling Smith will play a lot, or he'll be in a rotation as usual. Would his draft status have any impact on this, please give your thoughts...

I am a big fan of rotation. Mazi will be in a rotation only to acclimate him at first and then play him relentlessly. He's too good to be on the sidelines, me lad.

 

[Hennessy_King]

I mean our highest paid d lineman only plays 60% of the snaps. so who knows.

 

[gimmesix]

In terms of pass rush, I expect that *at most* he'll be in when we want a balanced run/pass defense. If it's a clear passing down, he's out, and the larger DE/DT tweeners man the interior dline.
That's the way Quinn rolls.

Everyone's all excited about Mazi pass rushing.

I'm excited to see Mazi *and* Hankins in short yardage.

I agree. I think we'll have both Mazi and Hankins in on first down and short-yardage situations, then Mazi will be in with Osa when there's an equal chance of a pass or run. He'll be off the field when there's a heavier chance that it's a pass play ... unless he shows pass rush ability early.

 

[buybuydandavis]

I agree. I think we'll have both Mazi and Hankins in on first down and short-yardage situations, then Mazi will be in with Osa when there's an equal chance of a pass or run. He'll be off the field when there's a heavier chance that it's a pass play ... unless he shows pass rush ability early.

I think we're basically on the same page, but probably only Mazi and Hankins on 1st down against true run teams, which is a minority these days.

 

[CCBoy]

I think we're basically on the same page, but probably only Mazi and Hankins on 1st down against true run teams, which is a minority these days.

Probably depends upon the running game of the opponent that week and downs/yardage.

 

[plasticman]

It used to be that the NFL draft held little interest for Cowboys fans other than finding out who they were. I mean, how exciting is it to draft in the bottom quarter every single year for 20 seasons? Half the time it was the last or second to last pick.....poor us.

So we would find out who they were, the position, which school, etc. We wouldn't actually hear too much about them for a few years. Well, unless it was an iconic pick like Tony Dorsett or Ed Jones. Then, after 2-3 seasons, we would been reminded who they were when a starter retired.

Each draft, all these new high #1 draft picks were simply the new batch of rookies our team was going to deeply traumatize for the next several years. A friend of mine used to refer to the draft as "the loser's Super Bowl".

Discussing a rookie's contribution to the team was considered an insult.

Well......maybe that last statement isn't exactly 100% correct......

 

[LACowboysFan1]

The season, even with colleges playing more games in a season lately than years ago, is still much longer than college football. He's going to have to rotate so he has something in the tank later in the year.

I'd think about 40% of the snaps at most...

 

[stilltheguru]

I think we're basically on the same page, but probably only Mazi and Hankins on 1st down against true run teams, which is a minority these days.

Eagles are a run based team. Everything revolves around them running the ball

 

[quickccc]

Playing nose tackle in NFL is a tough job, he will no doubt rotate with Haskins, but it will be talent not draft status that will earn him a higher snap count.

That's how I see it too. .. With Hankins, Mazzi will not be rushed into the starting lineup from day one.. he can gradually learn the trench nuisances of the NFL.
Get caught up on the speed and pace of the NFL. It will be an adjustment period.

I just hope we don't hear boo's and nays from quick knee jerk reaction fans should Mazzi have zero tackl games ands and games when he commits mistakes
( encroachment, offsides, losing gap position,etc.) ..basically looking more like Quinton Bohanna than he does Jon Hankins.

Some fans may "demand " that Mazzi be instant All pro the very minute he hits the playing field. The hek with his NFL adjustment period and rookie-ness.

 

[McMicah]

I don’t think Mazi will be a 3 down lineman this season. On 3rd and more than 5 I see someone like Gholston swapping in

 

[quickccc]

I mean our highest paid d lineman only plays 60% of the snaps. so who knows.

Only ? ...Isn't 60% more than half. ?

 

[quickccc]

I don’t think Mazi will be a 3 down lineman this season. On 3rd and more than 5 I see someone like Gholston swapping in

We may see a Gholston sub in on 2 minute warning ......last minute, potential drives to win the game from opposing teams.

Although I did hear that Chauncey's snaps dropped quite a bit from his rookie year, ..from 41% to 23%.

And could his snaps drop even more so if 4th rounder Fehoko makes quite a challenge to Golston's role and snaps ?

 

[McMicah]

We may see a Gholston sub in on 2 minute warning ......last minute, potential drives to win the game from opposing teams.

Although I did hear that Chauncey's snaps dropped quite a bit from his rookie year, ..from 41% to 23%.

And could his snaps drop even more so if 4th rounder Fehoko makes quite a challenge to Golston's role and snaps ?

I would LOVE Fehoko to surprise everybody