Mazi Smith Playing Time

[CCBoy]

All told, this is one of the best EDGE units in the league and that's because so much continues to go right. Micah Parsons is a Hall of Fame talent, DeMarcus Lawrence is still one of the best in the league, Dorance Armstrong has reached prime form; and add in quality free agency grabs like Dante Fowler and draft finds like Sam Williams.

https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/battle-lines-explosive-wars-coming-at-the-edge

Put that group next to the defensive tackles now and truly, that looks very strong to camp.

 

[buybuydandavis]

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

Certainly with the Eagles we'd see a lot of both together.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Give him some reps on O as a part time fullback now that Connor is gone

Before someone brings up the FA FB from NDstate...I am only joking.

 

[Momanpr100]

Mazi will be playing a lot

 

[Mr_437]

Rotation. Mazi moves into Carlos Watkins role...alternating between 1T and 3T. I see DQ getting Maz more reps than Watkins got tho.

 

[Hennessy_King]

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

So you like when our best players are off the field 40% of the time?

 

[Yoshimitsu]

Oh. no doubt. Many ballers at the DT position had growing pains the first couple seasons but their teams brought them along patiently and it paid dividends……we just hope to see certain positive indicators along the way.

Humility, work ethic and maturity will be his best friends

Exactly. It took Dexter Lawrence a few years to get where he is.

 

[quickccc]

So you like when our best players are off the field 40% of the time?

So now you going from from 60% ... to 40% ..?

What's next ....28% ..?

 

[CowboysLakerBamaFan]

I was not overly impressed with Mazi....he just never jumped out to me on film

I think his playing time will be high...at first....then start declining as others outperform him....or when teams are going heavily with the pass game.

Kind of a catch 22: mazi is best against the run. Most teams only run a lot when they have a nice lead (throw to get the lead...run to keep it mantra).

So mazi will prob get the MOST time...when we're losing.

 

[Hennessy_King]

So now you going from from 60% ... to 40% ..?

What's next ....28% ..?

We got down south math going today it seems. so if a player plays 60% of the snaps out of 100% of the snaps. What percentage of the snaps is that player not on the field?

I will give you the answer. It is 40%.

 

[Flamma]

People keep talking about this guy like he's going to tear it up. He may not have any impact until a season or two later. DTs don't always come in and tear it up right away. It takes a year or two. Look at Jordan Davis for the Eagles. I think our expectations for Mazi to be minimal for this season.

 

[CCBoy]

People keep talking about this guy like he's going to tear it up. He may not have any impact until a season or two later. DTs don't always come in and tear it up right away. It takes a year or two. Look at Jordan Davis for the Eagles. I think our expectations for Mazi to be minimal for this season.

The 'rook' is large and strong. If he serves only as a trash can full of dirt, he will help a lot in keeping linebackers clean.

 

[CCBoy]

First, the addition of Mazi Smith isn't only going to help them in the running game, but his pass rush skills were underutilized at Michigan and Quinn will use them to the best of his abilities. Second, Smith's presence in the trenches will open up lanes for the Cowboys' pass rushers to have clean looks at the quarterbacks, specifically Micah Parsons and Sam Williams. Smith will also allow DeMarcus Lawrence more one-on-one matchups instead of the double teams he's used to navigating.

Finally, the athletic talent on the roster has only gotten better with Smith, DeMarvion Overshown, and Viliami Fehoko added to the roster. Bake in Williams being more comfortable in his second year and the sky is the limit for this team in terms of sack possibilities.

https://thelandryhat.com/posts/dallas-cowboys-fact-fiction-defense-diggs-smith/2

 

[CCBoy]

In 16 games of his rookie season, Donald had 47 total tackles, 9 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 18 tackles for loss, and 13 quarterback hits. This may look daunting for Smith, but thanks to the talent around him Smith is actually going to see more opportunities to be more than just the run-stopper people see him as.

Paired with Parsons, Lawrence, and others around him forcing teams to slide protections it will give Smith more chances to show off his quickness off the line and pad his stats before teams start adjusting to him. I can see him reaching a stat line of 63 total tackles, 10.5 sacks, 23 tackles for loss, and 20 quarterback hits thanks to his untapped potential and his supporting cast.

https://thelandryhat.com/posts/dallas-cowboys-fact-fiction-defense-diggs-smith/4

 

[CATCH17]

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...

My expectations are super low so anything decent will be good.

 

[CCBoy]

Instead, they passed on a playmaker for defensive tackle Mazi Smith, which undoubtedly was the right move.

Smith didn't put up big numbers in college. He had just 48 tackles (2.5 for loss), 0.5 sacks, and one forced fumble in his senior season. Stats don't tell the whole story, though. His defensive presence helped Michigan become one of the best-run defenses in the nation. In 2022, the Wolverines gave up just 97.9 rush yards per game, fifth fewest in Division I.

Smith will bring a much-needed presence inside for the Cowboys, something they've been lacking for years. Dallas has ranked toward the bottom of the league in rush yards allowed per game -- 22nd last season and 20th in 2021. The run defense has been the team's kryptonite for a while, and the rookie's arrival will help in that department.

https://thelandryhat.com/posts/3-underrated-moves-cowboys-2023-offseason-mccarthy-moore/2

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

All told, this is one of the best EDGE units in the league and that's because so much continues to go right. Micah Parsons is a Hall of Fame talent, DeMarcus Lawrence is still one of the best in the league, Dorance Armstrong has reached prime form; and add in quality free agency grabs like Dante Fowler and draft finds like Sam Williams.

https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/battle-lines-explosive-wars-coming-at-the-edge

Put that group next to the defensive tackles now and truly, that looks very strong to camp.

Parsons lined up at 5-7 DL technique on 90% of his snaps.

 

[CCBoy]

Jonah Tuls

@JonahTulsNFL

The Mazi Smith weight room stories are Larry Allen legendary. They literally had to call the manufacturer of this machine to add more weight to it so Mazi could do 800 lbs. This is impossible strength.



At 6-foot-3, 337 pounds, he has the size to be a menace against the run while also freeing up players like Micah Parsons and Demarcus Lawrence on the edge. Parsons will likely see fewer double teams because of Smith's presence on the line.

Smith is an athletic freak and even made the top spot in Bruce Feldman's "Freak List" for 2022. The pick might not have been "sexy" at the time, but he'll make an immediate impact on day one.

 

[Bullflop]

Mazi will be tested throughout the work he offers during the preseason and in the practices of training camp to give the staff their intended ideas of what he's capable of. It usually takes time for any rookie to prove himself worthy of starting, however. I wouldn't be surprised to see his work in the early part of the season ahead being somewhat limited, pending his finding acceptable success. He'll be treated like any other rookie who is attempting to break into the starting lineup. Hopefully, his development will be timely enough to warrant sufficient participation in live action early in the season. As a 1st round pick, he'll likely be expected to do something impressive early-on into the season.

 

[CCBoy]

Mazi will be tested throughout the work he offers during the preseason and in the practices of training camp to give the staff their intended ideas of what he's capable of. It usually takes time for any rookie to prove himself worthy of starting, however. I wouldn't be surprised to see his work in the early part of the season ahead being somewhat limited, pending his finding acceptable success. He'll be treated like any other rookie who is attempting to break into the starting lineup. Hopefully, his development will be timely enough to warrant sufficient participation in live action early in the season. As a 1st round pick, he'll likely be expected to do something impressive early-on into the season.

A first rounder is given about a 6 game window to at least see steady field time...