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The Dallas Cowboys had a fun preseason matchup against the Los Angeles Rams that ended in a 31-21 loss. It was an opportunity for players to prepare for the upcoming season while others competed for a spot on the roster. However, defensive tackle Mazi Smith revealed that he felt disappointed with his performance in the team’s first preseason game.
While talking with reporters after practice, Smith admitted that he felt like he didn’t do anything in the preseason opener, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic. The 24-year-old defensive tackle also claimed that there is pressure to perform well as a former first-round pick, as Mazi Smith enters the third year of his career.
“I just didn’t do anything. You gotta do something,” said Mazi Smith. “I’m a first-round pick. There are expectations and all that. This is my third year.”
The 2024-25 season was Smith’s first opportunity to serve as a starter on the Cowboys’ defense. He finished with 41 combined tackles (22 solo) and a sack, which aren’t the best stats in the league. Additionally, Smith likely wants to improve his numbers in the backfield, as he only has seven tackles for a loss in his first two years in the NFL. That’s an incredibly low number for a defensive tackle.
Luckily for him, he still has two more preseason games to get up to speed. The Cowboys are scheduled to take on the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday, August 16, and the Atlanta Falcons on Friday, August 22. Ideally, Mazi Smith will have some opportunities to not only prepare, but make some big plays as well before the start of the regular season.
Ideally, the third year is where teams like to see players make a notable jump in production. Especially for players who were picked in the first round. So, we’ll see if Smith can live up to the hype this year as the Cowboys aim to improve upon their 7-10 record from last season.
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