The Cowboys dropped jaws when they selected Michigan’s Mazi Smith in the first round of the 2023 draft. It marked the first time in decades they used a first rounder on the interior defensive line and it showed Dallas had finally accepted they needed to add resources to their defensive interior to get over the playoff hump.
The need was fairly obvious. The Cowboys were bounced from the past two postseasons, in part because of their soft defensive interior. Dallas knows they have to get better in run defense and in creating pressure from inside if they want to challenge for the NFC crown.
While it’s clear Smith will help address that issue inside, his impact may not be right here in 2023.
Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones on Mazi Smith’s position as nose tackle: “We believe there is more to him than just the nose. That was what he was asked to do at Michigan, and he played his technique amazingly.” Stance and scheme can free him up to be more disruptive in NFL.
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) April 28, 2023
Not all positions hit the ground running when transitioning from the college game to the NFL. Positions like defensive tackle have a tendency to take time.
The NFL often asks them to play different roles and responsibilities than they’d been accustomed to in college. Many interior defensive linemen also enter the NFL underdeveloped. They often won on sheer ability in college and didn’t need to technical skills to win matchups.
That all changes in the pros where everyone is just as big, strong, and athletic and technique and discipline is often what separates winners from losers on any given play. This is all important to keep in mind when setting expectations for Smith.
Look no further than the previous rookie draft class as an example. Per ESPN position designations, Jordan Davis and Davonte Wyatt were the only two tackles drafted in the first. Davis played just 225 snaps while Wyatt played just 224. Per PFF stat tracking, neither player reached even 10 pressures their rookie season.
This is by no means abnormal. Going back three more draft classes, most first-round DTs only made modest contributions on defense in their first season.
Before Davis and Wyatt came Derrick Brown and Javon Kinlaw. Brown logged an impressive 732 snaps with 34 pressures while Kinlaw a more modest 557 snaps and 19 pressures (snaps and pressures via PFF).
Going back even further, Quinnen Williams posted 512 snaps and 19 pressures, Ed Oliver 557 snaps and 29 pressures, Dexter Lawrence 710 snaps and 30 pressures, Jeffery Simmons 315 snaps and nine pressures and Jerry Tillery with 354 snaps and 10 pressures.
Aside from the two blue-chip DTs, Brown and Williams, most of the first-round DTs started their careers slowly. And even those two didn’t light the world on fire. Brown only logged two sacks and 21 solo tackles and Williams just 2.5 sacks and 15 solo tackles.
Injuries, rotations and underdevelopment all played a part in this and all stand to play a part in Smith’s rookie season with the Cowboys.
Smith is one of the most physically gifted prospects to enter the NFL. He was No. 1 on Bruce Feldmen’s Freak List setting his ceiling through the roof. But he fell to Dallas for a reason and that reason is he’s underdeveloped and has never been trained or put in a position to be a pressure player.
By many accounts, Smith is more raw than most first-round DTs trying to transition to the NFL. He’s going to take time to develop and the Cowboys don’t need to force the issue. Dallas may not be stacked inside at DT but they have enough capable options where Smith won’t be forced to take a starting role immediately.
Fans should be excited about Smith and all he potentially offers the Cowboys, but based on the first round DTs drafted before him in recent seasons, expectations need to be realistic.
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