Mazie Smith (All-22) review?

[AsthmaField]

Do you honestly think the plan was to use a first round pick on Mazi so he could backup Hankins?

I stopped right there because you’re not listening. Think what you want.

 

[KJJ]

I stopped right there because you’re not listening. Think what you want.

Think what you want, but he was drafted to take over that DT spot. They re-signed Hankins for one season and the plan was to draft his replacement.

 

[Kwyn]

Do you honestly think the plan was to use a first round pick on Mazi so he could backup Hankins? Mazi didn’t look bad, but he’s still not getting off the ball quick enough. It’s not like I’m expecting him to be Warren Sapp, but he has to get off the ball quicker which was a problem during preseason. The Cowboys most certainly did draft Mazi to be a starter. They re-signed Hankins to a one-year deal, so they’re not looking past the 2023 season with him. They want Hankins helping Mazi. You definitely need more than one big guy, but you want your first round pick starting, not playing second fiddle to a 31 year old you traded a 7th round pick for and only extended for this season.

Didn’t Mazi have a better stat line than Hankins?

Hankins had one more snap?

I think you’re reaching.

 

[movaughn88]

Didn’t Mazi have a better stat line than Hankins?

Hankins had one more snap?

I think you’re reaching.

Mazi was a slight reach - he's not a superfreak top 10 guy. Give him some first year NFL steroids and offseason program before we judge.

 

[KJJ]

Didn’t Mazi have a better stat line than Hankins?

Hankins had one more snap?

I think you’re reaching.

Same stat line, but Hankins reviews were better. I’m not reaching by saying Mazi was drafted to replace Hankins. The Cowboys brought Hankins back on a team friendly one year deal because he played well and he provided solid depth. The Cowboys planned all along to draft a DT at some point. They’re looking to move on from Hankins after the season, assuming Mazi develops.

 

[Kwyn]

Same stat line, but Hankins reviews were better. I’m not reaching by saying Mazi was drafted to replace Hankins. The Cowboys brought Hankins back on a team friendly one year deal because he played well and he provided solid depth. The Cowboys planned all along to draft a DT at some point. They’re looking to move on from Hankins after the season, assuming Mazi develops.

PFF gave Mazi 69.7 and Hankins 65.5.

What “reviews” are you basing your prediction on?

And as to the Cowboys intentions, I’m quite sure you are simply speculating but several times in this thread you’ve claimed to have detailed and clairvoyant knowledge of what the team plans on doing and their hopes and dreams.

 

[MRV52]

 

[DuncanIso]

Mazi was a slight reach - he's not a superfreak top 10 guy. Give him some first year NFL steroids and offseason program before we judge.

His draft profile had him listed as 2nd day talent.

“Smith’s size and testing could give his draft slotting some juice but he’s more of a Day 2 talent with exciting upside than a plug-and-play starter.”

https://www.nfl.com/prospects/mazi-smith/3200534d-4951-1850-a3da-289c89c7e5d4

He should work out. Eventually.

But that pick should have been OL or RB.

 

[DuncanIso]

PFF gave Mazi 69.7 and Hankins 65.5.

What “reviews” are you basing your prediction on?

And as to the Cowboys intentions, I’m quite sure you are simply speculating but several times in this thread you’ve claimed to have detailed and clairvoyant knowledge of what the team plans on doing and their hopes and dreams.

Hankins is UFA after 2023.

My guess is he’s gone. UFA $$$ + age (32)

 

[DuncanIso]

Didn’t Mazi have a better stat line than Hankins?

Hankins had one more snap?

I think you’re reaching.

Who is the starter?

 

[jterrell]

Same stat line, but Hankins reviews were better. I’m not reaching by saying Mazi was drafted to replace Hankins. The Cowboys brought Hankins back on a team friendly one year deal because he played well and he provided solid depth. The Cowboys planned all along to draft a DT at some point. They’re looking to move on from Hankins after the season, assuming Mazi develops.

So many arguments on this board are just semantics.

Fact: Hankins played only 1 more snap than Mazi. Neither guy was being punished we simply don't use an NT every play in this defensive scheme.
Fact: Graded reviews such as PFF gave Mazi a slightly better mark as did his counting stats. This can happen with backups but it very much is factual here.
Fact: Broaddus gave Mazi mixed reviews.

Conjecture: Dallas drafted Mazi to boost run stuffing because they were awful at it last year, especially when Hankins was injured.
Conjecture: Dallas will likely continue to offer Hankins 1-year deals so long as he wants to play because he has a job very few bodies can accomplish.
Conjecture: We should expect Mazi to start next year over Hankins.

Fact: Eagles drafted Jordan Davis top half of round 1 last year to be an elite Nose Tackle. He had 18 total tackles, 3.5 for loss and 0 sacks. Mazi is on pace to beat those numbers easily.

 

[Motorola]

It's Mazzi not Mazie.

It's Mazi with 1 z

I see this is going to be a thing all season long.

 

[AsthmaField]

I see this is going to be a thing all season long.

Which is strange because usually this forum does well with 4-letter words.

 

[xwalker]

Think what you want, but he was drafted to take over that DT spot. They re-signed Hankins for one season and the plan was to draft his replacement.

I stopped right there because you’re not listening. Think what you want.

Judging players by game 1 or season 1 of their career is a bit short sighted, especially using starts as the criteria.

Larry Allen only started 10 games as a rookie. He wouldn't have started if not for the Erik Williams car accident.

Rookie LA looked silly at times especially against Reggie White.

Larry Allen is a 1st Ballot HoF player and considered by many as the most dominant OLineman of all time.


Darren Woodson only started 2 games as a rookie.


Aaron Rodgers 0
Tom Brady 0
Charles Haley 1
Ken Norton 0

 

[KingCorcoran]

So many arguments on this board are just semantics.

Fact: Hankins played only 1 more snap than Mazi. Neither guy was being punished we simply don't use an NT every play in this defensive scheme.
Fact: Graded reviews such as PFF gave Mazi a slightly better mark as did his counting stats. This can happen with backups but it very much is factual here.
Fact: Broaddus gave Mazi mixed reviews.

Conjecture: Dallas drafted Mazi to boost run stuffing because they were awful at it last year, especially when Hankins was injured.
Conjecture: Dallas will likely continue to offer Hankins 1-year deals so long as he wants to play because he has a job very few bodies can accomplish.
Conjecture: We should expect Mazi to start next year over Hankins.

Fact: Eagles drafted Jordan Davis top half of round 1 last year to be an elite Nose Tackle. He had 18 total tackles, 3.5 for loss and 0 sacks. Mazi is on pace to beat those numbers easily.

Rookie DTs rarely make much of an impact. Apparently it is a difficult position that takes playing time to learn to play well. The Eagles drafted Davis because they were terrible against the run. He was active for 15 games last season and played less than a third of the snaps in those games. Mazi will be fine. I doubt Davis will ever be elite, but he’s going to get his chance in year two. Cox looks like he’s on fumes.

 

[KJJ]

Judging players by game 1 or season 1 of their career is a bit short sighted, especially using starts as the criteria.

Larry Allen only started 10 games as a rookie. He wouldn't have started if not for the Erik Williams car accident.

Rookie LA looked silly at times especially against Reggie White.

Larry Allen is a 1st Ballot HoF player and considered by many as the most dominant OLineman of all time.


Darren Woodson only started 2 games as a rookie.


Aaron Rodgers 0
Tom Brady 0
Charles Haley 1
Ken Norton 0

I haven’t made a final judgment on Mazi but so far he’s off to a slow start. There’s still a long way to go with him and I haven’t given up on him. Larry Allen didn’t start as a rookie because he was a second round pick and we had a great OL that was coming off back to back Super Bowl wins. By game 5 his rookie year he was starting. Aaron Rodgers didn’t start because the Packers had Brett Favre. Tom Brady didn’t start because he was a 6th round pick and the Pats just signed Drew Bledsoe to a $100 million contract. Ken Norton was a second round pick who didn’t start his rookie season because he was injured in training camp. He spent most of the season on IR and didn’t return until December. Darren Woodson was a second round pick and he didn’t start because the Cowboys defense was loaded.

The Cowboys finished number one in total defense his rookie year and won the Super Bowl. Charles Haley was a fourth round pick. He didn’t start because he was a designated pass rusher his rookie year, but he finished second for rookies with 12 sacks. He was voted to the NFL all rookie team. The Cowboys chose Mazi Smith in the first round because he was a need. We’ve struggled against the run for years. He struggled all during training camp and preseason. The fans and media have been critical of his play. He might not have even gotten 17 snaps last week if the Cowboys didn’t have such a huge lead.

 

[KJJ]

PFF gave Mazi 69.7 and Hankins 65.5.

What “reviews” are you basing your prediction on?

And as to the Cowboys intentions, I’m quite sure you are simply speculating but several times in this thread you’ve claimed to have detailed and clairvoyant knowledge of what the team plans on doing and their hopes and dreams.

I listened to some of the reviews on NFL Network and a few of the comments from those in the Dallas media. The reviews on Mazi were mixed. Everyone has an opinion. From what I’ve seen from PFF they have some pretty wacky grades on everything. When you draft a player in the first round and you re-sign an aging player to a one year deal who plays the same position, you’re looking for that younger player to take over at some point. The Cowboys want a rotation on their defense. Their best defenses in the 90s had a great rotation. However, only common sense tells you that at some point they’re hoping Mazi starts establishing himself at DT. They would like to see him get most of the snaps while still using a rotation. You don’t draft a player in the first round if you don’t have high hopes for them and eventually be your starter.

 

[Irvin88_4life]

I haven’t made a final judgment on Mazi but so far he’s off to a slow start. There’s still a long way to go with him and I haven’t given up on him. Larry Allen didn’t start as a rookie because he was a second round pick and we had a great OL that was coming off back to back Super Bowl wins. By game 5 his rookie year he was starting. Aaron Rodgers didn’t start because the Packers had Brett Favre. Tom Brady didn’t start because he was a 6th round pick and the Pats just signed Drew Bledsoe to a $100 million contract. Ken Norton was a second round pick who didn’t start his rookie season because he was injured in training camp. He spent most of the season on IR and didn’t return until December. Darren Woodson was a second round pick and he didn’t start because the Cowboys defense was loaded.

The Cowboys finished number one in total defense his rookie year and won the Super Bowl. Charles Haley was a fourth round pick. He didn’t start because he was a designated pass rusher his rookie year, but he finished second for rookies with 12 sacks. He was voted to the NFL all rookie team. The Cowboys chose Mazi Smith in the first round because he was a need. We’ve struggled against the run for years. He struggled all during training camp and preseason. The fans and media have been critical of his play. He might not have even gotten 17 snaps last week if the Cowboys didn’t have such a huge lead.

Mazi was drafted as a run stopper that could develop pass rush.


That means with a huge lead, like you suggest last week, would mean he plays less snaps. On the flip side, if Giants was able to run the ball cause the score was close, Mazi would have had more snaps.

In my broken opinion

 

[KJJ]

Mazi was drafted as a run stopper that could develop pass rush.


That means with a huge lead, like you suggest last week, would mean he plays less snaps. On the flip side, if Giants was able to run the ball cause the score was close, Mazi would have had more snaps.

In my broken opinion

It’s possible he would’ve gotten more snaps had the Giants not had to abandon the run once they got way down. We’ll see what happens this weekend against the Jets because we’re likely to see a heavy dose of the run.

 

[Kwyn]

I guess now we should expect a weekly snap count tracker of Hankins vs Mazi to determine if he’s going to be a bust or a future hall of famer.