Former Dallas Cowboys first-round decide Mazi Smith has been essentially the most divisive draft decide since Taco Charlton, one other Michigan alumni. Coming into his closing collegiate season, Smith was touted because the freakiest athlete in faculty soccer, in line with Bruce Feldman’s Freak Checklist of 2022.
“Mazi’s rotational energy is ridiculous,” stated longtime Michigan energy coach Ben Herbert, who stated Smith is the strongest defensive lineman he’s seen in 25 years within the enterprise. “He’s an unimaginable mixture of uncommon traits packaged into one participant. He’s simply ridiculously robust and highly effective.”
Since then, Smith has not lived as much as his No. 1 rating and has struggled to translate the energy he confirmed in faculty to the NFL. Per NFL Professional, Smith has did not document a single stress on any of his 80 cross rushes this season. He’s the one defensive deal with who has not registered a stress on not less than 50 cross rushes.
In accordance with NFL Professional, there have solely been 16 defensive tackles to not document a stress by way of Week 7 with not less than 50 cross rushes since 2018. Not the historic firm a younger defensive deal with would wish to be related to.
Even should you belief the numbers of Professional Soccer Focus greater than NFL Professional, Smith has simply two pressures on the season on cross rush snaps per PFF. That’s nonetheless tied for 107th amongst inside defensive linemen taking part in not less than 20 p.c of the cross rush snaps.
In Smith’s protection, he was not anticipated to be an elite cross rusher from the defensive deal with place like Aaron Donald, Chris Jones, or Dexter Lawrence. His job was to be an excellent run defender who Will McClay stated the evening he was drafted “had upside as a cross rusher.” Nevertheless, he has additionally been underwhelming in that space, with a 29.9 PFF run protection grade (simply behind fellow Cowboys DT Linval Joseph, who has a 30.1 run protection grade).
The previous Michigan man has proven his potential when issues come collectively. Only a few weeks in the past, towards the New York Giants, Smith had one of the best efficiency of his profession, flipping gamers like rag dolls.
Smith’s efficiency towards New York is what followers have been hoping for when the Cowboys drafted essentially the most distinctive athlete in faculty soccer. There’s nonetheless time for Smith to show issues round, as there’s greater than half a season left in his sophomore marketing campaign.
He has not regarded nice within the few weeks since, however perhaps the bye week did him some good. At this level, we are able to solely hope—and that’s not how followers normally really feel a couple of Cowboys first-round decide in the course of their second season.
