Skeptical about NT Mazi Smith

[conner01]

Broaddus said Kris Jenkins has the same reaction problem off the snap as Mazi. It's because they are coming from a read and react scheme. It is fixable.

Jenkins isn’t near as athletic. Mazi is a freak athlete. If he can get quicker off the snap and learn better technique he can be effective. I never thought he was a first rnd player because he doesn’t impact passing game but he could maybe learn to impact run game, hopefully

 

[DoomsdayDFense]

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.

Personally which means little. There is a big jump to the pros. Some people have it and some need time. Many will straight fail to reach expectations. With early rounds you hope to have impact players. Imagine the 2nd round is not a thing in cowboy land. Jokes ;p.

Early first round should be worthy of that pick or trade down. As such if they aren’t an impact player, just move on. I think they should definitely be playing week 1 in most occasions.

In Mazis case we all(most) had pause to concerns on his slow get off. He has many intangibles to grow into a dominant force. Losing weight isnt a positive one however. Whoever’s fault that was. He has been stunted and he already came in needing a bit of growth.

How I see it is we already have him now. We can’t change the pick. Hopefully they do him and the club a favor. If not he will be gone at some point. As he’s still back up worthy.

We shouldn’t avoid a dt early. We just need to quit picking fixer uppers. Looking at you 2nd round. lol

 

[chicago JK]

It will never make sense for me that Dallas didn't look for insurance at DT and RB this offseason. Didn't even need to be break the bank type of moves. Mazi has given no hope that he can play. Maybe he can, but counting on him to fill the gap is really rolling the dice. Same thing at RB. I am fine with Elliott being back but again we have no idea if we have a guy to lead the group. Without it, we will be searching all year for production there.

I would have been fine losing all the guys we did if they showed just a tad of foresight to sign a RB and DT in free agency.

 

[DoomsdayDFense]

It will never make sense for me that Dallas didn't look for insurance at DT and RB this offseason. Didn't even need to be break the bank type of moves. Mazi has given no hope that he can play. Maybe he can, but counting on him to fill the gap is really rolling the dice. Same thing at RB. I am fine with Elliott being back but again we have no idea if we have a guy to lead the group. Without it, we will be searching all year for production there.

I would have been fine losing all the guys we did if they showed just a tad of foresight to sign a RB and DT in free agency.

Totally agree. I’d really like to see Calais Campbell signed.

 

[Whyjerry]

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



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?

It’s a good question. Dan “Can I Be Your Best Friend” Quinn was never going to motivate Mazi. He should do better this year if not Que the bust talk.

 

[gtb1943]

IF we could get a NT that was the kind that not only stoned for the running D but could actually put guards and centers on wheels into the pocket that would be a huge thing.
Mazi is not that.

 

[noshame]

Having played this position a little bit, actually I was 3 tech, but all the same. When everything becomes automatic between the ears, then he will be blasting out of his stance.

 

[quickccc]

I've said many times that I'm still optimistic on Mazi. I think his get off got a lot better as the year went on. He holds up 1v1 pretty well, and actually has a really powerful bullrush in the pass game that gives me some hope he could turn into at least an occasional 3 down player. To me the issue with Mazi isn't as much about technique as it is about how slow he sees everything. I think the slow get off is mostly by design as he's using it as an extra half second to read the Olines blocks. He constantly got beat and at times embarrassed on reach blocks, trap blocks, etc.....anything that wasn't the man in front of him blocking him 1v1 he struggled at. The only way to really fix this issue is to get the kid as many reps as possible, which is tough to do when he's in the training group during OTAs.

Mazi is also on the healing mend after having offseason shoulder surgery, so likely he will be brought along slowly & careful - which could mean
there won't be much chance to re-learn him with a much quicker get off in camp.

- I tend to think it's more mental reaction than a physical one. but yet what can coaches do to " minimize " that mental delay ?
That very slow get off ?

- This is where I'd be interested if a Leon Lett - who specialized in quick get off- would have helped Mazi.

- But now it's clearly up to new DL coach Jeff Nzgonia .. or else we'll very likely be moving on from Mazi after 2024.

 

[Havic]

Having played this position a little bit, actually I was 3 tech, but all the same. When everything becomes automatic between the ears, then he will be blasting out of his stance.

If*** Everything becomes automatic

 

[xwalker]

This was all on tape at Michigan. Mazi was the last dude off the ball even back then. He always played high. He didn't get off blocks, and had no counting stats to speak of.

His scouting report basically expected his rookie year would go like this... he was a raw bag of tools who wouldn't be ready out of the gate. DT is a slow developing position, and for a raw DT, you've got to keep expectations low.

The thing is, that should have been factored into his draft stock. If you have a DT who is most likely going to suck for a couple seasons while he develops, you shouldn't be taking him with a 1st round pick. He's got to be a special talent for you to even think about it.

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



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?

It's all mental.

They had to know he would be limited as a rookie. He was very raw by NFL requirements standards when drafted.

In college he played read-and-react. Also, in college he could just out-muscle most OLinemen.

The prevalence of zone run blocking in the modern NFL has made playing DT a much more mentally difficult position. OLinemen get DLinemen moving laterally then take advantage of the DT's own momentum to keep him moving (i.e. The DT jumps outside and the RB cuts back inside). When a DT is sprinting outside, an OLineman only needs to get in his way to prevent him from coming back inside. The DTs physical strength doesn't really matter at that point because he can't get any leverage to use his "weight-room" strength.

Most of the times he "fell" into the backfield was because he got off the ball quickly on those snaps but had no clue what to do. The reason he comes off the ball slowly is because it gives him more time to process what is happening. If coaches told him to just fire off the ball and that they don't care about the results, then he can physically do it. He would have ended up in the backfield on the opposite side of where the RB is moving everytime, but he could have done it last year. Coming off the ball quickly is only beneficial if done with the correct technique and moving in the correct direction.

If healthy, Mazi will defintely be better than last season, but I don't know if that equates to quality starter.
- He'll be better in Zimmer's scheme and better because it's his 2nd season, but the bare minimum expectation has to be for him to at least meet or exceed what Hankins did last season.

I have not heard any details on the shoulder surgery.
- It had to be a "scope" type procedure; otherwise, he would likely be out for the season.

 

[Maverick84]

Who is Dan Rogers?

why does it matter, do you think he photoshopped the footage or something

 

[kskboys]

Personally which means little. There is a big jump to the pros. Some people have it and some need time. Many will straight fail to reach expectations. With early rounds you hope to have impact players. Imagine the 2nd round is not a thing in cowboy land. Jokes ;p.

Early first round should be worthy of that pick or trade down. As such if they aren’t an impact player, just move on. I think they should definitely be playing week 1 in most occasions.

In Mazis case we all(most) had pause to concerns on his slow get off. He has many intangibles to grow into a dominant force. Losing weight isnt a positive one however. Whoever’s fault that was. He has been stunted and he already came in needing a bit of growth.

How I see it is we already have him now. We can’t change the pick. Hopefully they do him and the club a favor. If not he will be gone at some point. As he’s still back up worthy.

We shouldn’t avoid a dt early. We just need to quit picking fixer uppers. Looking at you 2nd round. lol

See, and the problem is, we take the Mazi's of the draft due to previously failing to fix the area. We keep getting snowballed because we take too many Kelvin's and Trysten's and Schooner's and Sam Williams'.

Go back. When we took Malik Collins(who was not a bad player, BTW), Javon Hargrave was there, a much better prospect. And another miss for us. We take Hargrave, those teams that run all over us in the playoffs no longer are able to do so, and it's a different game. We desperately need that guy, but don't know it.

 

[DoomsdayDFense]

See, and the problem is, we take the Mazi's of the draft due to previously failing to fix the area. We keep getting snowballed because we take too many Kelvin's and Trysten's and Schooner's and Sam Williams'.

Go back. When we took Malik Collins(who was not a bad player, BTW), Javon Hargrave was there, a much better prospect. And another miss for us. We take Hargrave, those teams that run all over us in the playoffs no longer are able to do so, and it's a different game. We desperately need that guy, but don't know it.

I agree whole heartedly. I do see positive things out of Williams. Can he put it all together though? I hope so.

 

[Jimbo123]

The trouble with Mazi is he's not a football player. He's just a massive athletic human who doesn't like football.

 

[big dog cowboy]

why does it matter

Because I never heard of him before. Is he a sports reporter or some fan boy?

 

[kskboys]

I agree whole heartedly. I do see positive things out of Williams. Can he put it all together though? I hope so.

Physically, Williams has got all the traits. He's a freak. Now, mentally is a different story. I have no idea, but I do have some hope that Zimmer can get it out of him.

 

[DoomsdayDFense]

Physically, Williams has got all the traits. He's a freak. Now, mentally is a different story. I have no idea, but I do have some hope that Zimmer can get it out of him.

I think he has a better year, at least I hope. I’m more concerned with mazi and getting a back up 1 & 3 tech. I haven’t really looked into zimmer much since his tenure here. Hopefully he and the rest of the coaches make the most of the guys.