When the Cowboys selected Mazi Smith with their first pick in the 2023 NFL draft, optimism reigned supreme. The stoutness of their defensive interior (or lack thereof) was arguably their only weakness on that side of the ball and Smith was one of the stoutest defensive tackles in the draft class.
In a conference led by two elite running teams (San Francisco and Philadelphia), a stronger interior meant the Cowboys would be better equipped to challenge their supremacy.
The 49ers have bounced Dallas from the postseason on the Cowboys’ last two trips. They achieved it in part because of their dominance in the trenches. Smith represented a step in the right direction. Just how big of a step the defense takes in 2023 is now being questioned.
Smith was famously the first DT the Cowboys have drafted in the first round since Russell Maryland in 1991 (In case it isn’t obvious, 1991 was a very long time ago). It wasn’t that Dallas didn’t value the DT position, it’s just they found different ways to fill it.
The Cowboys often opted to use free agency to fill the position, and while they might not have used their first-round picks on DTs, they’ve still been drafting them. The returns generally have been mixed. Two of the more recent picks, Trysten Hill and Neville Gallimore, didn’t work out like they hoped. But then again, they weren’t first rounders with elite traits. Smith was both of those things.
Rated No. 1 on Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List which chronicles college football’s most athletically gifted players each year, Smith brought a level of eliteness with him to Dallas. Fans who’ve been desperate for improvement in the Cowboys defensive interior ate this pick up.
Smith hasn’t been great
It’s tough for an interior lineman to shine in training camp. Contact is closely regulated and extremely limited so it’s difficult to gauge the quality of play in the more physical aspects of the game.
Unlike edge players and skill players, interior linemen rarely get a chance to go 100 percent in camp. Aside from a few practices and preseason games, they’re usually just going through the motions.
Smith, a man who stands 6-foot-3, 337-pounds, is no exception to the rule. He’s not going to line up on the edge and burn around the corners for the highlight reels. He’s going to take on blocks and try to control his gaps.
As a 22-year-old, that’s no simple task, even for a man his size. It’s a grown man’s game inside and struggles aren’t just possible – they’re expected.
To state it simply, Smith hasn’t been great. He hasn’t been terrible either. Like a lot of rookies, he has some good plays and some bad plays. Consistency is a veteran’s skill and something that takes time to develop.
It’s unrealistic to expect a rookie DT, even a first rounder, to hit the ground running.
Defensive tackle takes time
As discussed early in the summer, expectations should be tempered for Smith in 2023. Interior defensive linemen notoriously take time to develop. Even first-round picks struggle to be impactful in Year 1.
The average number of defensive snaps from first-round rookie DTs in 2022 was just 225. That comes out to just roughly 13 snaps/game. Not one of them was able to reach 10 pressures on the season either. Again, these are first rounders being discussed.
Jeffery Simmons, the man who just inked a massive four-year, $94 million deal as one of the best DTs in the land, only posted 315 snaps and nine pressures his rookie season. And he entered the NFL a more accomplished prospect than Smith.
Simmons came in with more of a pass-rushing presence, played in the SEC, and was selected earlier in his respective draft class. Like most DTs, Simmons took time to be impactful.
The same expectations should be set for Smith in Dallas.
“It’s going to take him some time,” Teammate Johnathan Hankins said of Smith. “He’s doing everything we asked. The dude is a special talent. Don’t get me wrong, once he gets his hands on guys it’s nothing they can do. He just has to continue to work and run to the ball and do the little, small things we do out there on the field. He ain’t too far behind.”
Smith enters the NFL as a highly gifted, but underdeveloped prospect. The pass-rushing part of his game is almost nonexistent, and his run-stopping technique isn’t always the most disciplined.
Like most physically dominant college DTs, Smith didn’t need refined technique to succeed at Michigan. But like so many DTs who came before him, he’ll need it to succeed in the NFL.
How long that takes depends on a number of factors but no one should expect such a leap to be instant.
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Keep expectations realistic
Expectations are critical for Smith, for the Cowboys, and for the fanbase. Set them too high and disappointment will likely ensue.
Dallas isn’t accustomed to waiting on picks to develop. They’ve been fortunate to find some instant impact players over the years. They also aren’t accustomed to drafting DTs in the first round.
The point to be made is Smith was meant to be a long-term investment for the Cowboys. He’ll likely work into the rotation with Hankins, a fellow 1-tech, and provide modest returns in 2023.
Dan Quinn is known to get creative along the defensive front so there’s a good chance Smith will get a few opportunities elsewhere on the line but for the most part opportunities could be limited on this extremely talented defensive front.
Smith will flash some good and some bad as a rookie. That’s par for the course at DT. What’s important is he keeps working and developing because the dividends come in future years.