When the Cowboys picked defensive tackle Mazi Smith with the No. 26 pick in the 2023 NFL draft, it came as something of a surprise, as most mock drafts had him slotted as a middle second-rounder. But once the pick itself was in, there were compliments aplenty. CBS Sports tabbed the Cowboys with a “A” grade for their draft, and Dallas Morning-News beat writer Michael Gehlken rated the Smith pick an “A,” too.
In retrospect, though, it is probably helpful to remember that Smith was supposed to be a project, not exactly a plug-and-play starter. His speed, size and athleticism made him a promising prospect, but he was going to need time to adjust to the NFL.
Well, he has had a year to adjust. And he needed it, obviously, because 2023 was not a productive season in the middle for Smith, and any hope that he might help fix the weak midsection of the Cowboys run defense quickly evaporated. Smith played just 308 snaps last year, and registered a Pro Football Focus grade of 47.2, which was 113th out of 130 graded defensive linemen.
But Smith has enough talent to warrant a rookie mulligan. Problem is, there won’t be another mulligan ahead—Smith will have to produce in Year 2, a fact that PFF made clear last week.
Cowboys Made Errors in Rookie’s Handling
In an article titled, “10 NFL players under pressure to perform in Year 2,” PFF’s Sam Monson named Smith among the 10, along with the likes of No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young of the Panthers and No. 7 pick Tyree Wilson of the Raiders.
Monson gave Smith a bit of a pass for his performance last year, pointing out that the Cowboys handling of Smith and his weight would have confused most any rookie.
“Smith weighed 323 pounds at the NFL Combine, and the one thing he excelled at in college was stuffing the run and anchoring the middle of the line,” Monson wrote.
“The Cowboys inexplicably then asked him to drop a ton of weight and seemed confused when he made little impact as a rookie. Smith finished 2023 with a 34.9 PFF run-defense grade and offered little as a pass-rusher, with only eight pressures all season.
“The Cowboys know they need more from him in 2024. … Coordinator Mike Zimmer brings a new defense and a new eye to Dallas, and Smith can only hope that he will show his college form if he can pack the weight back on and finally provide the stout run defense in the middle the team has been looking for.”
Mazi Smith’s Weight Will Be Closely Watched
Obviously, it is far too early to give up on Smith, and the fact that the Cowboys had him lose the weight and play at the 3-technique spot rather than the 1-technique nosetackle gives some hope that his role can be tweaked to better fit his skills. Cowboys fans will be forgiven for getting flashbacks to Taco Charlton—a first-round bust of a defensive lineman, taken by the Cowboys in 2017.
Smith’s weight will be worth watching when training camp starts. He had shoulder surgery, and the Cowboys have been cagey about how he will be used and how big they want him to be.
Back in May, new DC Mike Zimmer told reporters there is a goal in mind with Smith, but that he wasn’t going to reveal it just yet. “Zimmer said he and Smith have discussed at what weight Smith wants to play. Zimmer declined to disclose number, but Smith is at 305 now and working toward it,” beat writer Michael Gehlken reported.
The Cowboys have a number of high-profile issues heading into 2024 training camp. But getting Smith untracked is an underrated one, which could determine how much the defense improves. Or not.
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Cowboys’ 1st-Round Disappointment Named Among Most ‘Under Pressure’ in 2024