The Cowboys approached the 2023 NFL Draft coming off a season where the defense was known for having issues stopping the run. Dallas allowed 1,910 yards total on 459 opponent rushing attempts, and 4.2 yards per carry. The Cowboys defense gave up 14 touchdowns on the ground.
Dallas was hoping to find a run-stopper in the draft, and in the first round, Michigan’s Mazi Smith fell to them at No. 26 of the first round – and the pick was made.
Can New Coach Mike Zimmer ‘Fix’ Mazi?
Most teams considered Smith to be an elite run-stopper in college, so the pick was justified at the time. The Wolverine was named No. 1 on Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List.
It marked the first time the Cowboys selected a defensive tackle in the first round since Russell Maryland was taken with the overall No. 1 pick in 1991. That selection worked out well for Dallas. And they’re hoping the Smith pick does, too. … With new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer likely to have the “fix” at the top of his list.
Smith reportedly lost a noticeable amount of weight when he arrived in Dallas (we are checking on the facts involved there) and struggled often and early, falling short of expectations in camp and to begin the season.
Mazi saw the field in all 17 regular-season games this season and started three, mainly due to others’ injury issues. Smith registered one sack, 13 combined tackles with three for loss and three quarterback hits.
Smith is now a developmental project, which is not how you want to describe a first-round pick in the NFL, even at No. 26. But all is not lost yet, and he’s certainly not to be labeled a bust after one season.
Dallas desperately hopes he turns out better than another defensive lineman from Michigan they drafted recently in Taco Charlton – in fact, that comparison isn’t fair at all.
The Cowboys have a new defensive coordinator in an old defensive coordinator, Zimmer. … and he worked with Maryland and others to get yhe best out of them, here in Dallas … and he did the same as a head coach in Minnesots, too.
Along with Zim will be new staffers and new position coaches. There’s still time for Mazi to pan out. Dallas just hopes it’s sooner than never.
News Related-
Russian court extends detention of Wall Street Journal reporter Gershkovich until end of January
-
Russian court extends detention of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, arrested on espionage charges
-
Israel's economy recovered from previous wars with Hamas, but this one might go longer, hit harder
-
Stock market today: Asian shares mixed ahead of US consumer confidence and price data
-
EXCLUSIVE: ‘Sister Wives' star Christine Brown says her kids' happy marriages inspired her leave Kody Brown
-
NBA fans roast Clippers for losing to Nuggets without Jokic, Murray, Gordon
-
Panthers-Senators brawl ends in 10-minute penalty for all players on ice
-
CNBC Daily Open: Is record Black Friday sales spike a false dawn?
-
Freed Israeli hostage describes deteriorating conditions while being held by Hamas
-
High stakes and glitz mark the vote in Paris for the 2030 World Expo host
-
Biden’s unworkable nursing rule will harm seniors
-
Jalen Hurts: We did what we needed to do when it mattered the most
-
LeBron James takes NBA all-time minutes lead in career-worst loss
-
Vikings' Kevin O'Connell to evaluate Josh Dobbs, path forward at QB