With Nolan Smith, Michael Mayer, and Joey Porter Jr. still burning a hole in the 2023 NFL Draft big board, the Dallas Cowboys opted to fill a position of greater need by selection Michigan defensive tackle Mazi Smith with the 26th pick on Thursday night.
This isn't a sexy pick for the Cowboys. With a player many considered to be a top 10 talent in the draft like Nolan Smith still available, there's a solid chance the front office will look back and grimace about what could have been. Nevertheless, Dallas landed a solid piece in Smith and filled possibly their greatest position of need at defensive tackle.
For our NFL comps for the top 2023 non-QB draft prospects, listen below:
The interior defensive line was a problem for the Cowboys last season. Dallas was in the bottom third of the league in rushing yards allowed and struggled to generate any penetration from the inside at all. Osa Odighizuwa managed four sacks in 2022, but no other Cowboys defensive tackle recorded one.
Mazi Smith is a load at 6'3″, 323 pounds. His strength was on display at the NFL combine where the defensive tackle hoisted 34 reps on the bench press, and Smith showcased his explosiveness at Michigan's pro day with a 29.5-inch vertical and an 8'11” broad jump. Sacks weren't a big part of smith's game in college, but he took up a ton of space in the middle and racked up 88 career tackles in 30 games.
This was a safe pick for the Cowboys. Jerry Jones and the front office identified Dallas' greatest position of need and picked the best player on the board at that position. They missed out on some serious star power by doing so, but gave the defense a chance to go from great to elite by helping shore up one of their biggest weaknesses.
Follow Us
Subscribe