Inside The Star
This time two years ago, then-Michigan Wolverine Mazi Smith was gearing up for the NFL Draft as one of the top defensive tackles available. Two years later, the Cowboys may draft a rookie to compete with, or replace Smith.
That’s simply the business of the NFL. Dallas’ 2023 first-rounder is heading into the third year of his contract, and he hasn’t shown what they hoped he would.
Despite an improvement in his sophomore campaign last year, his production still lagged. Smith started in all 17 games in 2024, compared to just three in 2023, but only made one more tackle for loss, and had the same number of sacks and quarterback hits.
We are seeing more splash plays from Mazi Smith each week. pic.twitter.com/FeOsFlDST9
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) November 25, 2024
He showed flashes of 1st-round talent at times, but at this point, you’d like to see more than flashes, and that’s why the Cowboys may consider another defensive tackle this draft.
Let’s discuss the case for Smith, as he heads into a critical 2025, and the case for a rookie in this defensive tackle debate.
If you’re arguing in favor of another year of Mazi Smith, you have a fairly easy argument to make: he has shown progression, and it’s only his third season.
That isn’t an excuse either; we’re talking about a kid who is still just 23 years old with 20 NFL starts under his belt. Before that, Smith was a two-year starter at Michigan, so he’s only had a starting role three times since high school.
Because of this, Smith came into the league as a “raw” prospect. Everybody knew it then, which is why some criticized the pick, but now we’re shocked that he’s taken some time to be NFL-ready.
It has been a bumpy road. There is no denying that, but progress isn’t always linear, and he did take strides in 2024.
PFF's highest-graded player from Thursday Night Football:
Mazi Smith. pic.twitter.com/RgTCsnMCJA
— Tom Downey (@WhatGoingDowney) September 27, 2024
The simple fact that he was a starter for 17 games last year is proof. While he did play in each game of his rookie season, he could not have competed as a starter; it would have gotten ugly really fast.
Smith has taken the jump from backup to starter, and now it’s time to see if he can elevate past that.
Can you kick a former 1st-round pick to the curb without seeing if that next jump is possible?
On the flip side, you could say that if you haven’t seen enough to be fully committed to Mazi Smith by now, he likely won’t ever have what it takes to be a top-tier starter, no matter how long you give him.
It didn’t take Micah Parsons or Osa Odighizuwa three seasons to prove themselves.
In fact, in Odighizuwa’s...
