Cowboys select DT Mazi Smith with the 26th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft
There's been a ton of speculation about which direction the Dallas Cowboys would go in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft. Left guard, interior defensive line, tight end, running back, wide receiver, and cornerback have all been linked to the Cowboys for the 26th overall pick. Ultimately, Dallas decided to go with the […]
There's been a ton of speculation about which direction the Dallas Cowboys would go in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft.
Left guard, interior defensive line, tight end, running back, wide receiver, and cornerback have all been linked to the Cowboys for the 26th overall pick. Ultimately, Dallas decided to go with the trenches on defense and took Michigan defensive tackle Mazi Smith as their first-round selection.
Smith is 6'3" and weighs 323 pounds and comes off the line of scrimmage like a race car with a powerful initial punch. He has an extremely high motor and does a great job of stopping the run which he's considered to be the best at coming out of the college ranks.
When it comes to using speed and strength simultaneously, Smith excels, and he can move the pocket with his prowess of getting pressure up the middle. He's not a big sack guy, but he has the potential to improve in that area immensely.
A to Z Sports' Tyler Browning's evaluation of Smith:
Understands leverage and that low man wins. Keeps his pad level quite low to gain the advantage. Has the lower body strength to withstand double teams. Has the length to two gap. Good anchor. Has taken reps as a 0 tech, 1 tech, and a 3 tech. Frame says 1 tech, but his testing suggests 3 tech. Has some special teams experience. Has fantastic power, reported to do 22 reps of 325 on bench press and close gripped 550 pounds. Collapses the pocket on a routine basis. Can toss offensive linemen to the side with ease. Visibly see the jolt he gives offensive lineman.
The Athletic's Dane Brugler on what Smith brings to the table:
Brings exceptional power and physicality … well-distributed body mass and carries it well … strikes from a low position to stack and anchor the point of attack, including against double teams … uses his heavy hands to toss interior blockers … plays with outstanding contact balance to sift through congestion and stay off the ground … displays impressive athletic traits and pairs his movements with his backfield vision to locate and track the football … uses ankle flexibility to quickly change directions and make tackles in short areas … finished his career with zero penalties in 35 games … tipped the scale at 345 pounds when he enrolled and changed his diet and conditioning to reshape his body (averaged 45.1 defensive snaps per game in 2022) … his teammates call him “Gorilla” for his freaky feats in the weight room (the stories his teammates tell are legendary) … soft-spoken, but very focused and thoughtful and everyone listens when he talks (voted a team captain prior to the 2022 season) … started every game (28) the past two seasons.
