What is your outlook for Mazi Smith?

[darthseinfeld]

Do you feel confident he will become a consistent contributor on defense. Or do you think he will be a bust

 

[CWR]

Neither. I think he will be a contributor this year. I'm not sure he'll develop past that and may be replaced next season.

That said I'm a lot more optimistic than I was before. There is at least a possibility he grows into a fine 1 tech.

I think DQ set him back and last year was a lost season. He's basically a second year rookie.

 

[Whirlwin]

They changed the scheme for him and it seems to fit him better. I see positive positive going forward.

 

[JBS]

Bust. 100%

 

[Whirlwin]

Bust. 100%

First round pick, bust. Or overall bust no matter where we drafted him.

 

[Aven8]

I think he will be a middle of the road decent DT. For all the post about him people forget he was pick at 26. That’s basically a 2nd round pick. We act like he was picked top 10. He was never dominant in college. I don’t know why we thought he would be in the NFL.

 

[XXLMike]

On a good defensive team, he is a practice squad player at best.

 

[kskboys]

Do you feel confident he will become a consistent contributor on defense. Or do you think he will be a bust

A DT needs 3 things to be top 10ish: Burst, lateral agility, and anchoring ability. IMO, Mazi has the last one but lacks the first 2.

BTW, this should've been examined much more closely before we drafted him.

 

[Whirlwin]

A DT needs 3 things to be top 10ish: Burst, lateral agility, and anchoring ability. IMO, Mazi has the last one but lacks the first 2.

BTW, this should've been examined much more closely before we drafted him.

But he’s so freaking strong we had to bring an extra weight machines.

 

[darthseinfeld]

A DT needs 3 things to be top 10ish: Burst, lateral agility, and anchoring ability. IMO, Mazi has the last one but lacks the first 2.

BTW, this should've been examined much more closely before we drafted him.

I dont think he will ever be an elite Payne level player. But I think he could be a solid gap filling DT that could take advantage of some weaker interior guys like he did with Schmitz

 

[The Quest for Six]

Dallas needs to draft two DT in next years draft

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

He’s a grey area player, I think he’ll get a second contract. Nothing like Trysten Hill or Taco Charlton.

If he ends up being a 7-8 year Cowboy, is that a bust for a late 1st?

 

[kskboys]

I dont think he will ever be an elite Payne level player. But I think he could be a solid gap filling DT that could take advantage of some weaker interior guys like he did with Schmitz

To fill a gap, a DT must have lateral agility. I haven't seen any evidence of him having this trait. From his scouting report: "Poor lateral mover who cannot create angles."

 

[kskboys]

He’s a grey area player, I think he’ll get a second contract. Nothing like Trysten Hill or Taco Charlton.

If he ends up being a 7-8 year Cowboy, is that a bust for a late 1st?

It means we've once again done a poor job of filling the DT room.

 

[thunderpimp91]

He look to me like a player who will get better as time goes on but we probably get the up and down version of him before he moves on in free agency where his next team is likely to see the best version of Mazi.

He seems to have all the physical tools, is doing a much better job of using his hands and when he can create space between him and the OL he can get off blocks and make plays. The big issue I see with Mazi is that he is still slow to process whats happening in front of him and struggles when the OL moves on those zone run plays.

 

[big dog cowboy]

After the way McCarthy and Quinn screwed him up last year it appears he is making progress now.

 

[Mac_MaloneV1]

If he ever is able to get off the ball consistently he'll be a good player.

I don't understand why he is so slow to trigger at the snap.

 

[JBS]

First round pick, bust. Or overall bust no matter where we drafted him.

No, those are two distinctly different situations. First round pick bust for sure. He’s a serviceable player - if he was drafted rounds 4-7 - he’d be fine.

 

[Creeper]

I don't think he will ever be a star player, or a consistent menace in the middle of the line. He is never going to play up to his first round draft status. But I do think he is improving. He is much better than last year and he is better now than he was at the beginning of the season. He has a lot of room for improvement though. It is up to him if he actually does improve. Last year I said he could become an Alim McNeil type of player at some point. Nothing flashy, will make a few plays here and there but overall a solid DT. He has the ability to be better than that but I don't know that he has the desire to be better than that.

 

[Mac_MaloneV1]

No, those are two distinctly different situations. First round pick bust for sure. He’s a serviceable player - if he was drafted rounds 4-7 - he’d be fine.

Well it is important to remember that last year's draft was so bad that teams were taking third-round talent in the first round.