Skeptical about NT Mazi Smith

[Mr_437]

I was skeptical before Dallas drafted Mazi, and nothing has changed.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Who is Dan Rogers?

 

[gtb1943]

What is worse in some ways is that it shows the continuing lack of ability of this front office to properly evaluate interior DL. Finally use a first on someone with lots of red flags.
The more you learn about Mazi in college frankly the worse it looks. His success is looking more and more like a combination of being surrounded by sufficient talent that his lack was not noticed; and that he mainly succeeded because he was physically stronger then most he went up against; something that will not happen in the NFL

 

[America's Cowboy]

Who is Dan Rogers?

Don't know but his video clip of Mazi's performance last season was not inspiring.

 

[speedkilz88]

AC, I'm not confident with this one. Love his physical traits, and was excited to see what he could do after getting his feet wet. The results were shockingly bad.

No explosiveness out of his stance is a big, big problem. It showed up on tape at Michigan, and I figured the coaches could correct it. They did not, and we saw a really powerful guy being manhandled at the snap more often than not.

If Zimmer and the DL coaches can correct it, he could be pretty good. It's just one of those things that you see, and worry that there's something in his head holding him back. Between that and the weight loss, I'm thinking this one is a miss. Hopefully it doesn't deter the front office from looking at the defensive trenches early in the draft in the future.

It is not an explosiveness issue. He is late off the snap, but he did improve over the season.

 

[speedkilz88]

Who is Dan Rogers?

He's a fan/writer from blogging the boys.

 

[Bullflop]

Mazi will get another chance to prove himself this year. If he doesn't make a better impression, he might not last much longer. We'll see about it.

 

[Creeper]

It appears his technique is awful, but I don't agree with everything in the video. For example, Mazi's slow reaction is real, but this allows offensive linemen to get their hands into his chest. At that point they can stand him up (pad level), and they get leverage on him, which is why they shove him around and toss him to the ground. He has to get out of his stance and his hands into the offensive lineman's chest quicker to get leverage himself. I think his pad level isn't the problem. The problem starts with his slow get off.

I also noticed last year that Mazi sometimes lunges, maybe from trying to get a quicker jump. But he is on the ground way too often. It was shocking to me how bad Mazi looked at times, even compared to DTs drafted in the later rounds. Bohanna at times looked better as a rookie than Mazi.

Is this fixable? I think it depends on Mazi. Does he want to get better? Is he willing to put in the effort to improve? I think we will find out this year. Unfortunately, having had shoulder surgery he is missing valuable coaching time.

 

[America's Cowboy]

It appears his technique is awful, but I don't agree with everything in the video. For example, Mazi's slow reaction is real, but this allows offensive linemen to get their hands into his chest. At that point they can stand him up (pad level), and they get leverage on him, which is why they shove him around and toss him to the ground. He has to get out of his stance and his hands into the offensive lineman's chest quicker to get leverage himself. I think his pad level isn't the problem. The problem starts with his slow get off.

I also noticed last year that Mazi sometimes lunges, maybe from trying to get a quicker jump. But he is on the ground way too often. It was shocking to me how bad Mazi looked at times, even compared to DTs drafted in the later rounds. Bohanna at times looked better as a rookie than Mazi.

Is this fixable? I think it depends on Mazi. Does he want to get better? Is he willing to put in the effort to improve? I think we will find out this year. Unfortunately, having had shoulder surgery he is missing valuable coaching time.

Sure doesn't look like Mazi should have been drafted in the 1st round. Not even the 2nd. The Cowboys keep wasting early round picks, hence why they have so many holes on the team now that so many vets have left via free agency. That's not a recipe for a successful franchise. Mazi looked bad his rookie year. Luke Schoonmaker was taken in the 2nd round. He didn't look good as a rookie last year either. Both are currently injured. The Cowboys inability to consistently draft quality starters with their early round picks is what is seriously hurting this team both during the regular season, playoffs and being able to maintain a quality team from year to year.

 

[Creeper]

Sure doesn't look like Mazi should have been drafted in the 1st round. Not even the 2nd. The Cowboys keep wasting early round picks, hence why they have so many holes on the team now that so many vets have left via free agency. That's not a recipe for a successful franchise. Mazi looked bad his rookie year. Luke Schoonmaker was taken in the 2nd round. He didn't look good as a rookie last year either. Both are currently injured. The Cowboys inability to consistently draft quality starters with their early round picks is what is seriously hurting this team both during the regular season, playoffs and being able to maintain a quality team from year to year.

The Cowboys have had 22 first round picks since 2000 and 14 have made the pro-bowl. They have had a few busts, but overall their drafting in the 1st round has been pretty solid.
Their 2nd round picks have been a lot less successful.

 

[America's Cowboy]

The Cowboys have had 22 first round picks since 2000 and 14 have made the pro-bowl. They have had a few busts, but overall their drafting in the 1st round has been pretty solid.
Their 2nd round picks have been a lot less successful.

14 out of 22 1st round picks have made the pro bowl? That's not so great. Closer to average if one considers that is 3 players short of being .500 .

Post the 2nd round players overall since 2000 who have made the Pro Bowl as Cowboys.

 

[Blackspider214]

This is no surprise. Mazi looked like this in college but there is much more room for error playing against weaker and slower opponents than the NFL. He played in a conference that is known for slow and unathletic players. But his slow burst was more hidden and he looked better than what he really was. Same as Taco Charlton from the same school and conference.

This was a bad pick then and still is.

 

[CowboysLakerBamaFan]

And Will McClay. McClay specifically persuaded Jerry to take Mazi with their 1st round pick in the draft room.

I've never met a trustworthy Will in my life

 

[DanTanna]

IMO, what is wrong w/ Mazi can't be fixed. His one second delay at the snap was not coached into him. No coach would torpedo Mazi's career like that. "Mazi, wait one full second before reacting to the snap" <--- said no coach EVER. No coach told him "read and react" - total BS. Ruin your career by waiting a full second was not taught to him. I'm very confident he'll be off the team like Soft Taco.

 

[speedkilz88]

IMO, what is wrong w/ Mazi can't be fixed. His one second delay at the snap was not coached into him. No coach would torpedo Mazi's career like that. "Mazi, wait one full second before reacting to the snap" <--- said no coach EVER. No coach told him "read and react" - total BS. Ruin your career by waiting a full second was not taught to him. I'm very confident he'll be off the team like Soft Taco.

Broaddus said Kris Jenkins has the same issue. It's from being in a read and react scheme and can be coached out of him. He was improving last year. Just wasn't consistent.

 

[ghst187]

Mazi earned the doubt he is getting this year. But he can put it to rest just as easily by performing like a 1st round draft pick.

Absolutely and I’d love to be 100% wrong about him but once I watched his tape I wanted nothing to do with him and we wasted a first on him. I saw zero on tape that would make me think he could be good in the pros other than his size. All of those things I saw on tape were exactly his problems this past year. I know you can teach better leverage, hand placement, etc., but hard to teach quickness and awareness, two vital DT traits I haven’t seen him display. Like I said, hope he proves me wrong but I consider this another taco bust.

 

[Motorola]

Who else feels skeptical Mazi Smith can be fixed? Lots of issues concerning his technique, performance and slow get off.

Well osa is “injured” now according to Ctv. I hope Mazi can make a big jump down the stretch.

another failed DL pick in the first round. we just can't pick DL men in first or second rounds. just can't

Mazi earned the doubt he is getting this year. But he can put it to rest just as easily by performing like a 1st round draft pick.

Do you believe Mazi can be fixed with new D-Coordinator Mike Zimmer, new D-line coach Jeff Zgonina and new D-line assistant. coach Greg Ellis?

A lot of rookie linemen struggle. It's a big jump to the NFL and got bigger for Mazi when we tried to develop his 3-tech traits instead of focusing on his 1-tech ones. Zimmer is supposed to get back to building on his 1-tech traits, so we'll see. I think Quinn went the wrong way with him, so maybe Zimmer will correct that. Don't know if that will mean he develops into much, but we'll see. I think DT is our biggest question mark.

If he's coachable and puts in the work i'm sure he will improve. He may never live up to his draft status or maybe he'll surpass it. He was picked for his size/strength/agility regardless of his clear lack of skill which put him behind the 8ball in the NFL so he has a lot of work to do just to get caught up.

eh, I'll say nope.

I have little expectations, but still think can't judge a guy off one year. That being said if he looks like *** in TC/PS then we need to ban Michigan from the DL scouts

I'm tagging a number of CZers for an opinion on Mazi Smith when he was drafted a year ago.
When he was drafted at no. 26 in the first round - a number of members stated he was outside of the grade for a "true first round draft pick rating".
Then there were a number of members here that opinined the DT position is one of the hardest to transition to success from college to the NFL = give Mazi 2 -3 seasons to adapt and learn.
Add to that -- the contingent of NFL fans that go by the maxim that a player picked in the 1st round of the NFL Draft should be an impact contributor from game \ week 1 in his rookie season.
I like to view your opinions / responses.

 

[Jfconrow]

Dallas needs Osi, Mazi, and Schoonmaker. It’s hard to see them having success without those guys. Teams will run right up the middle. I suppose 2nd TE isn’t that important, but Dak could use a target not named Ceedee.

 

[Creeper]

14 out of 22 1st round picks have made the pro bowl? That's not so great. Closer to average if one considers that is 3 players short of being .500 .

Post the 2nd round players overall since 2000 who have made the Pro Bowl as Cowboys.

The 22 includes 3 picks from the last 3 years including Tyler Guyton. Tyler Smith still has a chance to make it since he has only played 1 year at LG. Excluding Guyton, they are 14 of 21 or 67% including Tyler Smith. I'd say their 1st round selections have been pretty good. Also, 2 of those years they had 2 first round picks, one year they too Demarcus Ware and Marcus Spears. The other Felix Jones and Mike Jenkins. Spears and Jones never made a pro bowl but both were pretty good players.

The only big misses were Bobby Carpenter, Taco Charlton and Morris Claiborne. Mazi has the potential to be a big miss.

 

[Creeper]

I'm tagging a number of CZers for an opinion on Mazi Smith when he was drafted a year ago.
When he was drafted at no. 26 in the first round - a number of members stated he was outside of the grade for a "true first round draft pick rating".
Then there were a number of members here that opinined the DT position is one of the hardest to transition to success from college to the NFL = give Mazi 2 -3 seasons to adapt and learn.
Add to that -- the contingent of NFL fans that go by the maxim that a player picked in the 1st round of the NFL Draft should be an impact contributor from game \ week 1 in his rookie season.
I like to view your opinions / responses.

My reaction then was I was happy to see Dallas make an investment in DT that early - first time since 1991. But my fear is if Mazi is a bust it may be another 30 years before we see another DT picked in the first.