Mazi

Smith

Defensive tackle Mazi Smith is listed as questionable. Diggs missed Wednesday’s practice but was back on the field by Thursday. He was a full participant in Friday’s session before being cleared. Diggs notched one interception and two pass breakups in Week 1 before he and the rest of the Dallas defense gave up 44 points to the Saints last week. He will look to get back on track versus Lamar Jackson on Sunday.

The Cowboys didn’t provide specifics about Smith’s status but said he will be reevaluated on Saturday morning. After his evaluation, the team also said they would update his status for Saturday’s game. It doesn’t sound like there’s too much to worry about here for Smith, who totaled 13 tackles and three TFLs for the team as a rookie last season.

Smith is reportedly dealing with tendinitis and discomfort in his knee and sat out the team’s practice on Tuesday. The rookie first-rounder is expected to be an immediate contributor along the defensive front this season, but this string of knee issues will need to be resolved before he takes to the field.

The Cowboys signed their entire rookie class on Thursday ahead of rookie minicamp. Smith (6’3/323) has the ideal frame for a nose tackle and his bench press number of 34 shows his underlying power and his commitment to being a weight room warrior. Before the 2022 season, he was ranked No. 1 on Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List. While he is still very raw, Smith has a good sense of when to go low on offensive linemen, and when he needs to keep his head up to play the point of attack. His body leverage is rare, though his unrefined hand technique leaves much to be desired. With only two years of starting experience under his belt, he will probably improve his play leverage with additional reps. The lack of production at the college level probably has to do with being confined to the nose in Ann Arbor. However, 85 tackles in his two starting years show the potential to make an impact in every game. If he can learn how to pass rush, Smith can be a force for Dan Quinn’s defense.

Smith (6’3/323) was a 4-star recruit, and the 11th-ranked defensive tackle, from Grand Rapids, Michigan in the 2019 recruiting class, according to 247 Sports. Smith has the grace of a charging grizzly and the strength of a bull in a china shop. He has the ideal frame for a nose tackle and his bench press number of 34 shows his underlying power and his commitment to being a weight room warrior. Before the 2022 season, he was ranked No. 1 on Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List. While he is still very raw, Smith has a good sense of when to go low on Offensive Linemen, and when he needs to keep his head up to play the point of attack. His body leverage is rare, although his unrefined hand technique leaves much to be desired. With only two years of starting experience under his belt, he will probably improve his play leverage with additional reps at the next level. The lack of production at the college level probably has to do with being confined to the nose in Ann Arbor. However, 85 tackles in his two starting years show the potential to make an impact in every game. If he can learn how to pass rush, Smith can be a force for Dan Quinn’s defense.

Feldman once again highlights the freakiest of the freaky with his 2022 freaks list, with Smith (6'3/326) emerging as the leader of the pack. Feldman notes Smith’s size combined with “rare power and agility” made him the easy leader of the group. Smith has been known to put him as many as 22 reps on the bench press -- not the 225 pounds we are used to seeing at the NFL Combine, but rather 325 pounds. Smith has one season left with the Wolverines before he’ll enter the NFL draft. Last season he managed 37 tackles and 2.5 TFLs while playing alongside Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo. With Hutchinson and Ojabo now in the NFL, more opportunities could open up for Smith to showcase his skillset.

The full quote from Haubert: “This is a lofty comparison, but Smith could develop into a player much in the mold of recently departed Michigan DT standout Maurice Hurst. Hurst is an explosive player who can not only take on blocks but also quickly get up-field and disrupt, and Smith can grow into a player who could assume a similar role and have a comparable impact for Michigan’s defense.” Lofty might be an understatement, as Hurst was as impressive a defensive tackle in 2017 as any. If Smith can provide that type of production when he enrolls in 2019, the Wolverines should be very, very happy.

Smith pledges to the Wolverines over several other big-name schools, including Penn State, Alabama, Ohio State and Notre Dame. The 6-foot-3, 290-pound defender ranks 29th in ESPN’s 300 rankings, and is the number seven defensive tackle on 247 Sports composite list. With that size -- and considering he’s only a junior -- Smith has a chance to be an immediate contributor to the defensive line in 2019, which will be necessary with Michigan losing some key players upfront next year.