The Dallas Cowboys selected defensive tackle Mazi Smith out of Michigan with pick No. 26 of the 2023 draft to the delight of many, including star edge rusher Micah Parsons.
After a poor rookie season held back by weight loss, a lousy get-off, and adjusting to a new scheme, Smith hoped to bounce back under Mike Zimmer this season. In the first nine weeks of the season, things looked like they hadn’t changed much for Smith. He had a single outstanding performance against the New York Giants, a genuinely tanking team, in their first meeting in Week 4.
Smith’s sole Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade over 80 was that week, but he was objectively a bust in all other instances. In that time, Smith had one game over 55 in overall defensive grade and one over 60 in run defense. His average was 35.2 overall PFF grade and 38 in run defense. Things look to have turned the corner for Smith though, as he’s strung together several improved outings in a row.
In Weeks 10 through 12, Smith had a 55 or higher overall defensive grade in all three games, two of them over 60.
His run defense grades have all been over 60, with two of those over 70.
His average overall grade was 62.9, and his run defense average was 70.5. That 70.5-run defense grade would put him in the top 15 in the league this year.
While Pro Football Focus grades are an essential tool for evaluation, they don’t tell the entire story. Smith has had the production to back up those improved marks. Seven of Smith’s 19 tackles have come in the last three weeks. Four of his eight assists and six of his 14 stops have as well.
These numbers still don’t scream first-round pick, but they show improvement in his second season. Smith has had his top three games this year against division opponents, and the Giants are next up. This could be the week Smith registers his first sack, and in a lost season for Dallas due to injuries, keeping an eye on him and hoping to see a starting-caliber player in the final five games, could change everything this offseason for Dallas.
You can find Mike Crum on Twitter @cdpiglet or YouTube on the Across the Cowboys Podcast.