Mazie Smith (All-22) review?

[AsthmaField]

That was one play, he was up and down and he didn’t start. Not good when you draft a player in the first round and they’re not starting and only get 17 snaps.

Big guys like that should never play a lot of downs. They need rest, which is why they wanted Hankins and Mazi both. Either one really shouldn’t have more than about 20-25 plays per game. The energy they expend is enormous. Taking on double teams takes a ton out of those big guys.

And it really doesn’t matter who takes the first snap of the game, so starter or not shouldn’t matter to both Mazi and Hankins. They’re both going to play because keeping those guys fresh is imperative.

Mazi definitely had some good snaps, so people saying he was bad most likely just didn’t watch closely enough, I guess. In the above video clip you can see his power and explosion, which is what Dallas payed for with their first rounder. Pushing that pocket and flushing the QB like he did on that play is one of the big things they wanted from him. By pushing the pocket like that, the QB will either have to scramble (like Jones in that vid) or he’ll have to stand there and take his chances with Micah and the DE’s… and when you can’t step up in the pocket, you are a sitting duck for those edge rushers.

Parsons missed a ton of sacks last year when the QB stepped up in the pocket, making Micah just miss behind the QB. Had someone done what Mazi did right there, those would’ve been sacks.

That was just one play, but it was very good and one of the big things they want from him.

He will get better week to week, too, so I’m expecting him to make a difference.

 

[KJJ]

Sounds like you want him to fail so you can say you were correct.
Maybe it is just me, but this is what it seems like.

Where did I ever say he was going to fail? If that’s the read you’ve gotten from my comments about him you’ve gotten totally the wrong read. You’ll never find a post on this board where I said he was going to fail. I’ve made no such claim or prediction. I’m pulling for him to succeed like everyone, but if he’s going to succeed and be the answer we’re looking for at DT he has to get a lot better. Your first round pick should be starting ahead of a player you gave up a 7th round draft pick for.

 

[stiletto]

What is a great player? Perennial all pro? I don't see that for mazi either. Daron payne has been in the NFL 5 years and has 1 pro bowl. Do I see mazi doing that? Eventually yes.

I see what you are saying there but Daron Payne showed FLASHES of first round talent the moment he stepped on the field in WAS. Trust me, I was here in NoVA and had to listen to all the WAS homer fans talking about it..

Have you seen that from Mazi yet? I'm willing to wait but not seeing it yet.

 

[AsthmaField]

Your first round pick should be starting ahead of a player you gave up a 7th round draft pick for.

In his first NFL game with Hankins right there? No he shouldn’t be. Nobody with the team cares about that.

 

[jazzcat22]

More like leeriness I think. Leeriness to me means "not sure", not necessarily wanting anything. Just not confident. Yep, for sure fence-sitting but anyone not fence-sitting on Mazi at this point is kind of silly, especially with a #1 pick. Sheesh.

I am not fence sitting. I am … let’s give him time like we should with all rookies, and even some 2nd year players.
I think it is silly to fence sit, and even more to act as if he is a bust already.

 

[KJJ]

What is a great player? Perennial all pro? I don't see that for mazi either. Daron payne has been in the NFL 5 years and has 1 pro bowl. Do I see mazi doing that? Eventually yes.

A “great” player is a perennial pro bowler who has at least a couple of all pros on their resume. That’s what everyones hope is when you draft a player in the first round. If Mazi can develop into a consistent player that ends up seeing a second contract with the team, I think we’ll all be satisfied with that. Right now he’s off to a slow start, playing behind a player we traded a 7th round pick for. It’s still very early in his career and the jury is still out.

 

[stiletto]

I am not fence sitting. I am … let’s give him time like we should with all rookies, and even some 2nd year players.
I think it is silly to fence sit, and even more to act as if he is a bust already.

LOL...100% agree BUT it's probably best to get a good sample before you are "all in" on something. Generally... Too early to really tell. Can't give up, can't declare a bust. For sure. People wishing the #1 pick looked better out of the gate?

 

[KJJ]

In his first NFL game with Hankins right there? No he shouldn’t be. Nobody with the team cares about that.

I think he should be, because the Cowboys drafted him looking for better than Jonathan Hankins. Hankins is 31 years old and has played for 5 teams. He only cost us a 7th round pick. Let’s face it the reviews on Mazi weren’t good in camp or preseason and he was up and down last Sunday. Are you telling me you weren’t expecting a little better than what we’ve seen from him so far?

 

[stiletto]

I think he should be, because the Cowboys drafted him looking for better than Jonathan Hankins. Hankins is 31 years old and has played for 5 teams. He only cost us a 7th round pick. Let’s face it the reviews on Mazi weren’t good in camp or preseason and he was up and down last Sunday. Are you telling me you weren’t expecting a little better than what we’ve seen from him so far?

It's very frustrating to me that people aren't looking for more from #1 picks. They brush it off as "meh, it'll be fine". That pick should 100% be a starter. If it isn't then they screwed up.. simple as that. Just my opinion and I'm not a fence-sitter there. Willing to not give up on the player but the fact remains it wasn't a Home Run, for sure.

Yeah, I know with my attitude Troy Aikman wasn't a home run...but alas, I stand fast.

 

[thunderpimp91]

It's very frustrating to me that people aren't looking for more from #1 picks. They brush it off as "meh, it'll be fine". That pick should 100% be a starter. If it isn't then they screwed up.. simple as that. Just my opinion and I'm not a fence-sitter there. Willing to not give up on the player but the fact remains it wasn't a Home Run, for sure.

There are levels to 1st round draft picks though. A top 10 pick is going to come with significantly different expectations than a pick in the mid 20s. Hitting in the draft is a significantly more difficult tasks than what fans believe. Even in the first round on average you only see about a third of players stick with the team that drafted them after their rookie deals. About another third are out of the league completely after their rookie deals.

 

[jazzcat22]

DQ uses a heavy rotation on the DL.
Other than Micah being in on about every down, then DLaw probably next. Mazi is not going to be out there on every play.

Especially when he is in for the run, until his pass rush skills get better.
And with NYG being behind and needed to pass. He did not need to be out there as much as normal.

Did anyone think of that?
Maybe against the Jets, since many expect them to try to run more. He will get more snaps.

Just a guess on my part.

 

[thunderpimp91]

I think he should be, because the Cowboys drafted him looking for better than Jonathan Hankins. Hankins is 31 years old and has played for 5 teams. He only cost us a 7th round pick. Let’s face it the reviews on Mazi weren’t good in camp or preseason and he was up and down last Sunday. Are you telling me you weren’t expecting a little better than what we’ve seen from him so far?

Feels like you’re focused on the wrong things. Gilmore is 32, on his 5th team and cost a cheap pick. Doesn’t mean that he shouldn’t be starting.

And to be honest it was a small sample size but i thought mazi had a solid game Sunday. Nothing flashy but he did his job

 

[Kwyn]

He was our first round pick and didn’t start. Our defense was on the field a lot because of the blocked field goal for a TD and the pick-six. Mazi only got 17 snaps and didn’t play well. It’s been the same theme since pre-season. If he doesn’t start coming around in the next few weeks, how confident are you that he’s going to be end up being a good player that’s going to see a second contract? Our first round pick should be starting. It’s starting to look like we may have missed on our first two picks. Granted it’s still early, but I was expecting better than this.

If you expected a late first DT to set the world on fire then that’s on you.

Is this your normal football evaluation style?

Just wanting to know if you’re a serious person or not.

 

[stilltheguru]

It's very frustrating to me that people aren't looking for more from #1 picks. They brush it off as "meh, it'll be fine". That pick should 100% be a starter. If it isn't then they screwed up.. simple as that. Just my opinion and I'm not a fence-sitter there. Willing to not give up on the player but the fact remains it wasn't a Home Run, for sure.

Yeah, I know with my attitude Troy Aikman wasn't a home run...but alas, I stand fast.

Who did you want us to draft that would've started? Kincaid nor Nolan Smith would've started.

 

[AsthmaField]

I think he should be, because the Cowboys drafted him looking for better than Jonathan Hankins. Hankins is 31 years old and has played for 5 teams. He only cost us a 7th round pick. Let’s face it the reviews on Mazi weren’t good in camp or preseason and he was up and down last Sunday. Are you telling me you weren’t expecting a little better than what we’ve seen from him so far?

No I wasn’t, and I made posts saying these big NT’s typically start slow and never have many stats anyway. Some may even remember me writing that. Mazi pushing that pocket like that in his very first game is what I was hoping to see from him. Him dealing with double teams is what I was hoping to see from him.

Now a 3 tech, I would hope for more… a 1 tech / NT? No. I didn’t expect any more from a rookie NT in his first game than what he did.

People expecting more aren’t being realistic with their expectations for game 1 of his rookie season.

And Hankins is valuable to the team for the same reasons Mazi is. Last year when Hankins got hurt for a few games, the defense suffered. These are importent players to Quinn, even though they don’t get many stats themselves.

Like I said… they Mazi and Hank will play roughly even snaps. Who starts matters not at all, except maybe to some fans.

 

[NotForLong]

A “great” player is a perennial pro bowler who has at least a couple of all pros on their resume. That’s what everyones hope is when you draft a player in the first round. If Mazi can develop into a consistent player that ends up seeing a second contract with the team, I think we’ll all be satisfied with that. Right now he’s off to a slow start, playing behind a player we traded a 7th round pick for. It’s still very early in his career and the jury is still out.

That is not what you expect from a player selected in the 1st Rd . . . Top 10 pick maybe but not 1st Rd

 

[NotForLong]

DQ uses a heavy rotation on the DL.
Other than Micah being in on about every down, then DLaw probably next. Mazi is not going to be out there on every play.

Especially when he is in for the run, until his pass rush skills get better.
And with NYG being behind and needed to pass. He did not need to be out there as much as normal.

Did anyone think of that?
Maybe against the Jets, since many expect them to try to run more. He will get more snaps.

Just a guess on my part.

This is called an educated guess

 

[Kwyn]

A “great” player is a perennial pro bowler who has at least a couple of all pros on their resume. That’s what everyones hope is when you draft a player in the first round. If Mazi can develop into a consistent player that ends up seeing a second contract with the team, I think we’ll all be satisfied with that. Right now he’s off to a slow start, playing behind a player we traded a 7th round pick for. It’s still very early in his career and the jury is still out.

I suppose you’ll have to do some research and find out how many first round picks, particularly those at the tail end of the round, end up being “perennial pro bowlers” with at least two seasons as an “all pro”.

That’s what you hope for with a top ten pick. Even that might be a stretch.

I think you just have expectations that are more like hopes and dreams

A dude taken as a nose tackle at the end of the first round is a good pick if he can play in the league five or six years and deliver solid run defense.

Most of the top NTs in the league don’t meet your own criteria for “great”.

 

[OGSixshooter]

Unfortunately his reviews weren’t the only ones that weren’t glowing. If he doesn’t start coming around in the next few weeks he may end up being a big mistake.

Broaddus just scouted the Jets defense. A guy who was in the Jets' doghouse - Quinton Williams - is the #1 threat on Sunday according to him. I'm not dogmatic about him being a good pick, but it's not like he's a headcase who is in the coach's doghouse. He's a young man that has to figure it out. Osa took huge strides according to Dan Quinn...and that showed on Sunday. It's year 3 for Osa.

 

[Reid1boys]

Well, I for one, do not go by what this guy says.

yea, you should listen to the experts on this board instead of a guy who has actually made a living evaluating players.