FRISCO – The Dallas Cowboys’ first-round defensive lineman is aware. He spent a career at Michigan – a successful career – without the benefit of a certain stat that would certainly fluff up the resume.
Yes, Mazi Smith recorded a grand total of 0.5 sacks for the Wolverines.
“A lot of people talk about my pass rush in college, but I never had a pass-rush plan,” said Smith on Friday at the start of a Cowboys rookie minicamp at The Star. “So we’re gonna get a plan and see what I can do.”
The point being made by the surprisingly athletic 6-3, 333-pounder? He has a particular assignment at Michigan. And he did it well. But now maybe Dallas coordinator Dan Quinn might add a few more particular assignments.
“I was a run-stopper (in college),” Mazi said. “If we were going to win the game, I was gonna have to stop the run. And that’s what I focused on. That’s what I’m still focused on. … I wanted to win games and win the Big Ten championship. I knew if we were gonna do that, we were gonna have to stop the run.”
There are those who are critics of the selection of Smith with the No. 26 overall pick, criticism based on the notion that he’s “just a run-stopper.” Traditionally, the Cowboys themselves haven’t valued that role enough to invest this level of capital in the position, so do the skeptics have a point?
The Athletic shared s not-so-flattering opinion from an NFL exec.“I’m not a huge fan of taking a two-down nose high,” he said. “He will control the middle of the field. He gives them some needed beef, he plays with leverage, he is strong, he has enough range to go tackle to tackle. He is good at what he does, even if you don’t love the skill set early in the draft.”
Dallas personnel boss Will McClay has noted that the Cowboys broke with tradition because Smith truly is elite in this area – and it has been an area of Dallas need. (Smith becomes the first defensive tackle to be selected by the Cowboys in the first round since Russell Maryland, who went first overall in 1991.) But what if Smith, if asked by Quinn to do more, is capable of doing more?
How much better, Mazi, can you get playing football as a professional?
“Ain’t seen nothing,” the personable rookie replied. “Ain’t seen nothing yet.”
At the same time, a learning curve is in play. Dallas re-signed veteran run-stopper Johnathan Hankins before the draft, and he’s been doing his job successfully for a decade. Mazi seems to recognize some of those realities.
“It wants to be fast and furious, but I don’t play that,” Smith said of outside expectations. “I be telling folks, ‘Slow your roll. I’m gonna slow down, too.’ I’m just here to mind my business and get better as a player, and be the best nose/D-tackle that the Cowboys can have.”
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