Tag: Mazi Smith

Shoulder surgeries continue disappointing career starts of Cowboys’ Smith, Schoonmaker

Dallas revealed their two top draft picks from 2023 are going to be out for the duration of the offseason calendar. | From @ArmyChiefW3

This past season was essentially a wash for the Cowboys’ 2023 draft class. None of the first three players selected for the club were able to make a significant impact last year, a rare occasion for a club with a reputation for knocking drafts out the park. Second-year impact is now the focus, but that hasn’t gotten off to a great start, either.

Talking at the NFL’s spring league meetings, Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy revealed that 2023 first-round pick Mazi Smith underwent shoulder surgery this offseason. The injury news didn’t stop there as he revealed second-round tight end Luke Schoonmaker also had shoulder surgery. The Michigan product injured himself during training and underwent the procedure last week.

Smith underwent the surgery shortly after the season concluded and is He’s expected to miss anywhere between four-to-six months, making him unavailable to participate in upcoming OTAs and mini camps.

Dallas used the 26th overall pick on the massive defensive tackle from Michigan in hopes of shoring up their run defense. His rookie season did not go as planned and his play was overshadowed by weight loss questions. Something McCarthy also addressed on the second day of the league gatherings.

Smith played in all 17 games his rookie season but only lined up for 28% of the overall snaps. With the Cowboys reluctant to bring in any outside free agents, expecting Smith to play a significant role in year two has social media in an uproar. This is especially true after veteran defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins chose to sign with Seattle over Dallas.

Schoonmaker’s timeline is expected to be similar to that of Smith. The backup tight end caught eight passes for 65 yards and two touchdowns in his rookie season.

Both players will miss the majority of team activities but should be ready for training camp tentatively scheduled for late July.

Dallas lost third-round pick DeMarvion Overshown for the season in the final preseason game last year with a torn left ACL. Before the injury, the linebacker turned heads during training camp which could have given this class a different feel.

Cowboys lack of capital spent at DT continues to rear ugly head

A thin defensive tackle room with very little salary cap hits makes this group a candidate to be remade with proper investments. | From @ArmyChiefW3

While the Cowboys’ defensive end group takes up a large portion of salary cap space, the opposite can be said of the big boys inside. With a new defensive coordinator, the importance of having guys who can anchor and occupy both players and space is invaluable.

Dallas ranked 27th in the league in ESPN’s run-stop-win-rate, which takes several things into account such as disrupting the running lane, pushing blockers backwards, or recording a tackle within three yards of the line of scrimmage. The nuances of the game make it hard to calculate no matter how much we compartmentalize. A large collection of data is a good indicator that a player is executing his instructions but without knowing the called assignment, an interpretation can be tough. No matter how the team gauges prospects, bodies are needed at the position.

Is there hope for Mazi Smith after disappointing rookie year for Cowboys DT?

Just because Mazi Smith had a poor rookie season with the Cowboys doesn’t mean he’s destined to be a bust. | Fom @ReidDHanson

The Cowboys stepped outside their comfort zone when they selected Mazi Smith in the first round of the 2023 draft. It marked the first time since Russell Maryland in 1991 that they used a first rounder on the DT position. Based on early returns, it may be their last time.

Perhaps a total first round boycott of the position is a bit dramatic, but the frustration felt after Smith’s enormously disappointing rookie season cannot be understated.

The 6-foot-3, 337-pound tackle from Michigan was identified as an elite talent throughout the draft process. Named No. 1 on Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List, Smith had a rare combination of size, speed and athleticism. He was also fairly raw as a player since he was used in a reactionary Michigan defensive line that isn’t known to always nurture or highlight physical traits.

Smith showed explosiveness in testing but didn’t show it on tape. He had the traits to potentially be a pass-rusher, but with 0.5 career sacks, he didn’t have the proof on game film. Smith was both ultra talented and ultra raw. He was a big swing for the Cowboys in the first round because his value was almost exclusively projection.

Like most developmental projects, Smith’s career got off to a slow start. The man used predominantly as a space-eater in college was presumably asked to be more aggressive in Dallas. Smith lost a noticeable amount of weight early and was often seen working at the 3-technique DT spot rather than the 1-technique spot most scouts slotted him for.

Smith struggled in every area of the game as a rookie. He was slow off the snap, offered little to no pressure through the gaps and was even ineffective against the run. He was a liability on most plays, playing just 304 snaps on a defense starved for DT play.

It was clear patience would be required for Smith when the Cowboys first drafted him, but even patient outlooks saw the rookie fall short of expectations.

The 4 most important 2nd-year players for the Cowboys in 2024

The Cowboys didn’t get a ton out of their draft class, but these players will need to play big in their second seasons. | From @TimLettiero

After a strong 2022 class that saw multiple draftees take starting roles, the Dallas Cowboys’ 2023 class left a lot to be desired. Injuries, questionable development strategies and a flurry of other miscellaneous setbacks have lined this crop of players as ones to forget, but thankfully, time is on their side.

Dallas is facing an offseason filled with tough decisions, and because defections are inevitable, success will require younger players to step up. The pressure is on the 2023 class. Here are the four most important second-year names to watch in the 2024 season.

These 2 Cowboys have enormous opportunity thanks to injury

The Cowboys have lost Johnathan Hankins for the foreseeable future opening up a big opportunity for a couple very different Dallas players. | From @ReidDHanson

The Cowboys enjoyed a complete victory in their second matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles this past Sunday. The offense, defense and special teams all combined to issue a decisive win that felt over by halftime. Their 33-13 win not moved Dallas up the charts in playoff seeding, but it showed they are one of the most complete and well-rounded rosters in the entire NFL.

While the Cowboys high-stepped out of Week 14 with a win, they didn’t make it out unscathed. Lost in the celebration of victory, was the loss of a key member of their defense. On their first defensive series of the third quarter, interior lineman Johnathan Hankins fell to what we later learned to be a high ankle sprain.

Hankins will be evaluated in coming days, but he’s generally expected to be out of commission at least 1-2 weeks. Even minor high ankle sprains take time and the science behind an individual’s recovery is anything but exact. Whether he’s out one week or four weeks, the Cowboys have a hole to fill. And based on the size of Hankins, that hole is enormous.

Hankins is a unique piece in Dan Quinn’s defensive puzzle. The 6-foot-2, 330-pound tackle is stouter than a pint of Guinness. As the primary 1-tech, he’s the immovable object in the middle, two-gapping and occupying so his leaner and more explosive teammates can fill the stat sheet. His loss is significant because a clear back-up option behind him doesn’t exist.

“The options would come from within the team,” Quinn said of Hankins’ spot. “For us, it’s probably too early to know where that sits, for this weekend’s game anyway.”

The Cowboys don’t want to look outside the organization to fill the hole at 1-tech. Quinn himself has pointed to his own roster as the solution until Hankins can return.

DTs Osa Odighizuwa, Chauncey Golston and Willington Previlon all play interior defensive line but they’re also sub-300-pounds and are ill-suited to play 1-tech. Neville Gallimore is a DT over 300-pounds, but he’s not as stout against the run as his size indicates and is actually used on more passing downs than he is running downs.

Mazi Smith, Dallas’ top pick in the 2023 draft, is the most obvious answer.

At 6-foot-3, 337-pounds, Smith fits the mold that was once affectionately called “a trashcan full of dirt.” But Smith is a project player. He has decent snaps this season but also has some truly terrible snaps. The DT position is a position even top-10 draft picks have a tough time acclimating to in the NFL. He’s definitely in the mix but to expect him to pick up where Hankins left off is unfair and probably dangerous.

Looking at the roster, newly-signed Carl Davis might be the best man for the job.

Davis, a journeyman DT signed to the practice squad in November, is 6-foot-5, 320-pounds. He’s a career 1-tech with skins on the wall. He’s not flashy in any regard, but last seen, he’s effective. The Cowboys should be able to build a rotation of Davis and Smith and be able to tread water in their defensive interior.

For Smith, it’s a great opportunity for growth. If Davis gets elevated, it’s a great opportunity to show he belongs on the active roster this winter. For everyone else, it’s a test in mettle since Hankins isn’t there to do the dirty work and free them to make plays.

Hankins’ absence is a blow to the defense but at the same time an opportunity for others.

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Cowboys’ Dan Quinn: Mazi Smith’s arrow ‘going up’ after best game yet vs Giants

From @ToddBrock24f7: He had just 3 tackles on the day, but Smith’s solo TFL on Saquon Barkley in Week 10 could be the kind of moment that propels the rookie.

The final stat line won’t raise many eyebrows: three solo tackles, one tackle for loss, one quarterback hit. But Sunday’s 49-17 win over the Giants may turn out to be Cowboys defensive tackle Mazi Smith’s big breakout.

Dallas defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is at least allowing for that possibility.

“I think you saw Mazi with the TFL, kind of looping around,” Quinn said to reporters this week, referring to a first-quarter play where he dropped Giants running back Saquon Barkley for a three-yard loss.

In the grand scheme of the game, it was a minor moment. But one that could have major repercussions for the 22-year-old rookie.

“It’d be nice if you just add water and you [get] instant kick-ass,” Quinn quipped. “But it takes time and coaching to get there, and he is certainly doing that. I thought [Sunday] was more of what we’ve seen in practice, so to see him come through like that and play well, being aggressive and taking his shots- he had some good pass rushes as well- sometimes you need that one moment to help kick you going.”

The nature of Week 10’s blowout win ended up giving Smith many moments, or at least extra playing time. He was on the field for 25 defensive snaps- nearly 44% of the unit’s reps- his most in a game since being drafted 26th overall by the Cowboys in April.

Quinn allowed that it’s been a ramping-up process for the 337-pounder. But unlike the fans who only chart gameday production and have been ready to label Smith a bust halfway through his first pro season, Quinn says the Michigan product has made steady and significant improvement within the D-line rotation.

“The inside player, we oftentimes measure somebody just on their sacks if you’re a defensive lineman,” Quinn explained, “but what impact do they have on the game?”

Smith had significant impact, earning a tip of the hat from PFF as their highest-graded rookie defensive tackle for Week 10.

Quinn pointed out that, even from his vantage point all the way up in the coaches’ booth, he could feel Smith’s quickness and movement versus New York. He also gave a shout-out to second-year defensive end Sam Williams and said that he sees both players’ arrows as still being very much on the rise.

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He admitted, though, that Smith needs the occasional reminder to fully unleash the freak strength and athleticism that earned him rave reviews at the college level.

“He wants to do it right so badly,” Quinn remarked. “I remind him every once in a while, ‘Hey, man, don’t forget to fire out and let somebody know. You don’t always have to be perfect; you’ve got make sure you’re knocking guys back.’ He really got that message.”

Saquon Barkley can attest to that. Now it’s up to Smith to pass the message along himself to rest of the league, one opposing running back at a time.

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Here’s how the Cowboys avoid a Rams’ upset in Week 8

The Cowboys and Rams both have paths to victory, sorting out which will be more dominant is the game. | From @cdpiglet

The last few weeks have shown everyone the NFL is a not-for-long league. The season seemed over for the Dallas Cowboys after a 42-10 beatdown by the San Francisco 49ers put them two games back in their division and with the fourth-best record in the NFC. Two weeks later, the Philadelphia Eagles lost a game, the Detroit Lions got blown out, and the 49ers lost two straight. The Cowboys are coming off a bye week at 4-2, and the NFC seems wide open.

Dallas is back home playing one of the nemeses of the Dak Prescott era, the Los Angeles Rams. This isn’t the Super Bowl contender Rams from a few years back. However, they still have an elite play-caller in Sean McVay, the best defensive player of this generation, Aaron Donald, one of the best receivers in the game in Cooper Kupp, and quarterback Matt Stafford.

The Cowboys might be more talented overall, but this matchup is no walk in the park. Los Angeles will scheme a great game plan for Dallas, and the top players on the Rams will show up big time with the spotlight of the Cowboys shining on the game. Here is a look at some of what Dallas needs to do and stop Los Angeles from doing to get a victory in Week 8.

‘He’s doing good’: Cowboys DL coach says Mazi Smith growing week by week despite meager stats

From @ToddBrock24f7: Smith hasn’t exploded onto the scene the way some recent Cowboys rookies have, but Aden Durde says he’s making gains within the system.

Tyler Smith. Micah Parsons. CeeDee Lamb. Leighton Vander Esch. Ezekiel Elliott. Zack Martin. And that’s just in the last 10 draft classes.

The Cowboys have an incredible history of first-round draft picks who immediately step into a starring role and are among the absolute best at their position, even as rookies.

Given that kind of track record, the instant-gratification crowd within Cowboys Nation is ready to label Mazi Smith a bust just six games into his pro career.

Aden Durde doesn’t see it that way.

But the Cowboys defensive line coach admits that it is the sackmasters who get most of the headlines.

“It’s fun when you’re affecting the quarterback,” Durde told reporters this week. “If [opponents] want to throw the ball and they want to go like that, that’s our kind of game. They’re eager to get out there. We’ve got a gang of rushers. It’s like a fight on the sideline to get out there and want to get out and compete.”

Run defense, though, is somewhat unsexy by comparison, and the only fight most observers have seen from the 22-year-old defensive tackle out of Michigan was his involvement in the pregame brawl with several Chargers players at SoFi Stadium this past Monday night that saw Austin Ekeler almost lose his head.

But apart from that, Smith’s dealings with opposing running backs has been somewhat limited, at least according to his stat line. Smith has logged just two solo tackles this season and assisted on two more. He’s recorded one TFL.

That does not mean that he isn’t doing his job. The life of an interior defensive lineman- especially one considered to primarily be a run-stuffer- is about clogging up the line of scrimmage, often occupying one or more offensive linemen so that a teammate can swoop in and make the actual tackle.

Getting after the passer once in a while is a bonus.

By and large, the Cowboys have contained the run well in 2023. Consider the gauntlet of ball carriers Dallas has faced and the yardage totals each amassed:

  • Saquon Barkley: 51
  • Breece Hall: 9
  • Dalvin Cook: 7
  • James Conner: 98
  • Rhamondre Stevenson: 30
  • Ezekiel Elliott: 16
  • Christian McCaffrey: 51
  • Austin Ekeler: 27

That Week 3 debacle in the desert nothwithstanding, the Cowboys have yet to allow an opposing rusher to be much more than a minor nuisance.

Durde says playing with that kind of dominating edge every week has become the identity of the Dallas defensive line.

“If I’m really honest with you, I think that’s the growth of our unit,” Durde explained, “We should always have the chip on our shoulder. It shouldn’t matter who we play. … Just having that mentality that when we walk on the field, they have to deal with us.”

For his part, Smith is having to deal with no longer being the most feared player in the defensive huddle. Splitting time with esteemed 11-year veteran Johnathan Hankins means Smith has yet to see more than 22 defensive snaps in any game as a Cowboy.

That should be seen as less a reflection on Smith’s abilities or potential and more a statement on just how different NFL life is from the college game, especially at his position.

“I think we sometimes take it for granted when you come in the game as a first-round pick, the pressure that’s on you,” Durde told media members. “But the game is a lot different, the way they get told plays. A lot of them, they’re getting like 80 snaps a game, the plays move fast, the coordinator’s telling them, they don’t have to listen to communication. Now all of that’s changed. You get into a huddle, someone gives you the communication, you line up, now what am I getting? These things are changing, I think, and as we’re going through this, Mazi’s growth and understanding of how to play the game at that level is growing. You can see week in [and] week out, he’s making marginal gains, and that’s what it’s about. He’s around a good group of players, he’s in a position where he can grow and he’s in the right place. He’s doing good.”

If Durde isn’t worried about Smith’s lack of eye-popping numbers, maybe Cowboys fans should temper expectations, too, and take a long-term approach to trusting the process and letting Smith develop within the system that’s given the team a 4-2 record heading into the bye week.

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Judged by how often his name is mentioned on TV, the rookie hasn’t done much. But Durde maintains that Smith- and the rest of the interior role-players in his unit- are serving a vital function that allows the larger defensive scheme under coordinator Dan Quinn to work as designed.

“It’s more about the mission. The mission is to keep stacking wins and keep growing. If we affect the quarterback, if we hit him, we pressure him, we sack him, whatever the outcome, it will help the coverage. And then if they do their thing, then the ball comes to life, and it’s kind of DQ’s way of defense: rush and cover. For us, the outcome’s the outcome. Just get after them, and as long as we’re working and communicating as one, we’re all happy.”

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Here’s who the Cowboys should’ve drafted in 2023 for immediate help

A look at what would have happened if Dallas knew how rookies would play early in their careers and focused on winning now with their draft haul. A way-too-soon Cowboys 2023 redraft shows who could’ve helped. | From @KDDrummondNFL

While normally it takes multiple seasons to judge a draft class, that isn’t necessarily the case for every situation. One of those is the 2023 Dallas Cowboys, who built themselves to compete for a championship this year.

Dallas’ draft class may have long term potential, but with the club already sitting in the fringe when it comes to the No. 1 seed race, it isn’t tough to see how a quicker impactful class could have been beneficial.

So while Mazi Smith, Luke Schoonmaker, Deuce Vaughn and an injured DeMarvion Overshown can eventually prove their worth, here’s a collection of rookies who were available and are thriving at positions Dallas could use some help.

Here’s a Cowboys-specific 2023 redraft from players who were available at the time Dallas picked, but they passed up on. Dallas had eight picks from their haul, how many of those players made it back to the organization?

ProBlue: How former Michigan football players fared in NFL Week 3

Some of the guys really balled out! #GoBlue

Michigan has nearly 50 players currently in the NFL. From stars to practice squad members, this weekly series will document the gridiron greatness of former Wolverines.

Michigan’s NFL numbers are focused on the defense, but recent performances from Nico Collins and Donovan Peoples-Jones are looking to balance the scales a little more.

Jabrill Peppers has also been facing a bit of a career resurgence after joining the Patriots two seasons ago in free agency. He continues to impress with his versatility and talent up in New England.

Rashan Gary looks to be the next Wolverine to make big money in the NFL. His recovery has gone great and Green Bay should look to lock him up sooner rather than later.

The Wolverines currently have nine first-round picks in the NFL and 19 starters. Here’s how they performed in Week 3 of the 2023 season.