Mazi Smith is the COMPLETE PACKAGE at NT: NFL Draft Film Breakdown
In this film breakdown, we take a look at Michigan NT Mazi Smith, who is arguably the best athlete in this entire draft class, regardless of position.
He has the perfect build for a nose tackle, at 6'3 337 lbs, and should be getting more love from draft analysts than I'm seeing. He anchors on the line as well as anyone, and he has incredible pop with his hands, due to his thick frame and incredible strength. Smith is incredibly tough to move, which makes him almost impossible to block with one man. At times though, he struggles when getting reach blocked, and seems content just flowing with the play. He also sometimes has blinders on, and is oblivious to incoming blocks, that can surprise and overwhelm him. All in all, Mazi Smith is a great NT prospect, who seems like the full package as a run defender to me. He might struggle as a pass rusher, but that isn't his game, and I doubt he will be asked to contribute much there.
Strengths:
- Size and strength: Smith has impressive size and strength, which allows him to take on double teams and overpower opposing linemen.
- Quickness: Despite his size, Smith is also quick off the snap and can use his agility to make plays in the backfield.
- Technique: Smith has good technique for his age, with the ability to use his hands well and leverage his body to shed blocks and get to the ball carrier.
Weaknesses:
- Conditioning: At times, Smith has struggled with conditioning, which has led to him getting winded late in games and being less effective as a result.
- Consistency: While he has shown flashes of brilliance, Smith has also been inconsistent, and has had some games where he has not made much of an impact.
- Pass-rushing: While Smith is a solid run defender, he has yet to develop much of a pass-rushing repertoire, which limits his overall impact on the field.
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