Mazi Smith slow off the snap

[Montanalo]

Collingsworth made an interesting comment about Mazi Smith - something along the lines of the Cowboys want him focused on more than just a run stuffer.

Anyone hear that and is this something the Cowboys have said publicly?

 

[Sydla]

How can that not be taught? You don't think rookies improve get off in the off-season? Man yall are wild

Rookies can develop. But just being a rookie doesn't mean THEY WILL develop. We've certainly had our fair share of high picks that haven't developed.

They can teach Mazi to better off the snap but quickness, explosiveness are more inherent traits than learned. He was sold as this uber raw, high talented kid and yet he's shown very little of the athleticism we were told he supposedly had. It's not a great sign he's had zero impact this year. Although with Hankins out, he's gonna get his chance these last few games.

 

[Sydla]

Mazi was not a first rounder.

Only the top 12-15 players taken are truly worthy of that status. There's not spits difference between the end of the first round and the early part of the third round in terms of projection. Of course, they do get players wrong that are much better, or much worse, than their draft position.

Can we give the guy a season and a full offseason of proper training before we right him off? He's not a knucklehead like Taco, so I can be patient.

Very little difference between an early 3rd round pick and a late 1st round pick? Hahahaha, OK.

He was our top pick. Trying to justify this by saying there are really only 12-15 first round picks is soooo typical excuse making from the apologists.

And note, I never said he's a bust but the trend is disappointing and he's not shown some of the traits we were told he had when he came out of UM.

 

[Coogiguy03]

Bro they highlighted him after a play he was stood up one on one and pushed out of the play. Aside from being noticeably slower off the snap, he’s just not productive enough

Like I seriously don't understand, you've had minicamps, training camp, practices off the field time etc to get better at this, how much longer will it take???

 

[Coogiguy03]

Rookies can develop. But just being a rookie doesn't mean THEY WILL develop. We've certainly had our fair share of high picks that haven't developed.

They can teach Mazi to better off the snap but quickness, explosiveness are more inherent traits than learned. He was sold as this uber raw, high talented kid and yet he's shown very little of the athleticism we were told he supposedly had. It's not a great sign he's had zero impact this year. Although with Hankins out, he's gonna get his chance these last few games.

Maybe he doesn't want to?????

 

[doomsday9084]

I was focusing on Mazi after the injury. What I saw didn't look good. Slowest guy off the snap. One move over and over that wasn't particularly effective.

Obviously not worth giving up on him but he is going to have to spend the offseason remaking his game. Get a series of moves and do whatever you have to to get off the snap faster.

Sure, its too early to give up on him but the signs aren't good. He is looking rather Taco Charlton / Trysten Hill like. Both started off poorly and never really improved. I'm sure that there were people in December of Taco's rookie year saying "its too early to give up on him! stop criticizing him!"

 

[stilltheguru]

Rookies can develop. But just being a rookie doesn't mean THEY WILL develop. We've certainly had our fair share of high picks that haven't developed.

They can teach Mazi to better off the snap but quickness, explosiveness are more inherent traits than learned. He was sold as this uber raw, high talented kid and yet he's shown very little of the athleticism we were told he supposedly had. It's not a great sign he's had zero impact this year. Although with Hankins out, he's gonna get his chance these last few games.

Explosiveness doesn't always translate immediately for interior players offense or defense. Explosiveness has alot to do with power. Mazi will get stronger which will obviously affect his explosiveness. I don't see any Taco similarities outside of their college. If Mazi is still playing like he is now by next year I will join the bash group.

 

[InPhiltraitor]

Mazi was not a first rounder.

Only the top 12-15 players taken are truly worthy of that status. There's not spits difference between the end of the first round and the early part of the third round in terms of projection. Of course, they do get players wrong that are much better, or much worse, than their draft position.

Can we give the guy a season and a full offseason of proper training before we right him off? He's not a knucklehead like Taco, so I can be patient.

I would imagine he's been working on that get off for the past 3 years. Does anyone think the coaches at Michigan didn't see the same thing on tape. I have a cousin that's incurably stupid. You can bring in the miracle worker, he's still gonna be stupid. Sometimes you are what you are and the ceiling just isn't that high.

An how do we know he's not a knucklehead? This IS the same dude that was driving at an estimated 50mph in a residential neighborhood (25mph posted) while illegally carrying a Glock 19 handgun. Oh that's right, he was in the PROCESS of getting his concealed carry permit.

 

[KJJ]

He’ll be jettisoned in three years.

He won’t see a second contract with the Cowboys that’s for sure.

 

[Sydla]

Maybe he doesn't want to?????

Ehhh, I have seen nothing that would indicate that. Like with Trysten Hill, you started to hear whispers immediately that he had some focus issues, etc. I've read nothing like that on Smith.

 

[Blast From The Past]

Oh the drop off of Mazi Smith. How in the world did this guy look so good in college but comes to the nfl and is slow as molasses on a cold day? I know there is a speed difference but lordy he has growing to do. 1st rounders should at least show something even in year 1. Maybe with playing time he will start to inch towards that goal.

 

[OmerV]

I’m sayin if you watch he’s just the last guy of all 11 to move. Probably a good 2-3 seconds after everyone else

I completely agree he is slow off the ball, but this is a significant exaggeration. It's probably more like a half second to 1 second, which is all it takes to be noticeably later than everyone. In 3 seconds its very possible the QB would have already released the ball.

 

[beware_d-ware]

Oh the drop off of Mazi Smith. How in the world did this guy look so good in college but comes to the nfl and is slow as molasses on a cold day? I know there is a speed difference but lordy he has growing to do. 1st rounders should at least show something even in year 1. Maybe with playing time he will start to inch towards that goal.

That's the thing, he never looked good in college. In 2 years starting at Michigan, he had 6 TFLs and 0.5 sacks.

 

[TheCoolFan]

Really wasted these first two draft picks in 2023 I'm pretty sure Quinton Bohanna could have been doing the same things that Mazi is doing this season so far. If you're a good prospect, you will find a way to flash in year 1. Tyler Smith was a 21 year old rookie and still was able to play at a high level in the trenches immediately against grown men. Mazi so far continues to show that he's a project, which is not what you want in a 1st round pick.

 

[Silverz1972]

Gosh what can they do to speed that up. There’s some power and good stuff to work with there.

If he were at a red light and it turned green someone would honk at him from behind that’s how slow he is lol

He’s out change up that we throw it teams. Lol. Get them used to slowness then persons comes in and bust right through.

Noticed 97 helping him line up on few snaps.

 

[817Gill]

Would love to see how a lot of y’all did your first 6-8 months on the job out of college. Bunch of future CEO’s in here huh lol

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

I don't understand how you can be right over the ball and be the last one to get off

Maybe he’s like a brontosaurus and it takes time for the signal in his brain to reach his lower extremities.

 

[Toro9]

Gosh what can they do to speed that up. There’s some power and good stuff to work with there.

If he were at a red light and it turned green someone would honk at him from behind that’s how slow he is lol

More squats

 

[Tussinman]

How can that not be taught? You don't think rookies improve get off in the off-season? Man yall are wild

Rookies can develop. But just being a rookie doesn't mean THEY WILL develop. We've certainly had our fair share of high picks that haven't developed.

They can teach Mazi to better off the snap but quickness, explosiveness are more inherent traits than learned. He was sold as this uber raw, high talented kid and yet he's shown very little of the athleticism we were told he supposedly had. It's not a great sign he's had zero impact this year. Although with Hankins out, he's gonna get his chance these last few games.

Rookies (especially those that need work) it's tricky because due to the draft being so late in the Spring they have a small mini camp in May and then June/July is getting them ready for preseason. They don't actually get a lot of time to get NFL ready that first year.

2nd year guys have like 3-4x as many practices going into their 2nd year as they did there first.

 

[darthseinfeld]

Rookies can develop. But just being a rookie doesn't mean THEY WILL develop. We've certainly had our fair share of high picks that haven't developed.

They can teach Mazi to better off the snap but quickness, explosiveness are more inherent traits than learned. He was sold as this uber raw, high talented kid and yet he's shown very little of the athleticism we were told he supposedly had. It's not a great sign he's had zero impact this year. Although with Hankins out, he's gonna get his chance these last few games.

When you watch Smith, there are things he does well and things he doesn't. Right now he is pretty good at overpowering interior guys in pass sets. He moves the pocket, but doesnt really have a pass rush plan to finish. As a run defender, getting of line quickly has been a noticeable negative. He actually hasnt played much 1T this year, but he did last night it was noticeable. Before when lining up at 3T it was like "ya he is kind of slow of the snap", but at 1T it was like "wow, yes he is". Most likely he will be playing 1T the rest of the regular season, so we will get alot of looks to see if there is any improvement