Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys have made it clear that they want to address their defense this offseason and create it into an elite unit. Another step towards that goal was taken during the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. With the No. 26 overall pick, the Cowboys opted to select Michigan defensive tackle Mazi Smith.
Smith was an intriguing candidate that many thought had a good chance to go late in the first round. That ended up being the case and the Cowboys could not be more excited about his fit with the team.
Following the decision by Dallas to draft Smith, here are three interesting facts about Smith that CBS Sports chose to reveal.
- Tall, thick frame; unique for the NT spot
- Veteran-caliber pass-rush moves to win up the field
- Has the athleticism to get to RBs in close quarters, and has a large tackling radius
Needless to say, those three things should bring excitement to the Cowboys’ fan base about their new defensive tackle. Smith possesses great athleticism, great size, and could help in the pass-rushing aspect as well.
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During the 2022 season with the Wolverines, Smith ended up recording 49 total tackles to go along with a sack and a forced fumble. Back in 2021, he had another solid season with 37 tackles and three defended passes.
Standing in at 6-foot-3 and nearly 340 pounds, Smith is going to be a massive presence for the Cowboys on the line. It will be interesting to see how he develops at the NFL level.
All of that being said, the Cowboys are pumped to have gotten Mazi Smith at No. 26 overall. Hopefully, they will be add some more elite young talent throughout the rest of the 2023 NFL Draft.
