Dallas Cowboys rookie Mazi Smith got his first taste of NFL football on Saturday in the team's preseason opener. Dallas selected Smith out of Michigan with its first-round pick back in April.

The thought process in selecting Smith was to improve the run defense and solidify the unit as a whole. Out of Michigan, Smith has the makings of being a prototypical 1-tech in defensive coordinator Dan Quinn's system.

"It felt like football," the Cowboys rookie defensive lineman told the media following the preseason opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday. "I was excited to get out there."

Smith is not a player that is going to stuff the stat sheet or have his name all over the box score. It's not his game, nor will it be his role in the middle of a fast and playmaking unit.

That said, he did not have the kind of impact that many were hoping to see in his first NFL game. Instead of being down by that, Smith acknowledged that he has some room to grow ahead of the regular season.

“I’ve still got a ways to go,” Smith explained after a rather forgettable preseason debut with the Dallas Cowboys. “It’s coming, though.”

It's way too early to write off Smith, and there are big things still expected from the rookie. With that said, he still has room to develop in his first season in the league, which might actually pay off even bigger down the line.

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