Jerry Jones, Mike McCarthy discuss Cowboys selecting Michigan DT Mazi Smith: 'We love everything about Mazi'
Michigan Wolverines football defensive tackle Mazi Smith was chosen No. 26 overall by the Dallas Cowboys in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Smith is set to boost a defensive unit that ranked fifth in the NFL in points allowed per contest last season (20.1).
The Cowboys ranked fourth in the league with 54 sacks and eighth in overall pass defense, but slotted 22nd against the run. Owner Jerry Jones and head coach Mike McCarthy said that was an area that needed addressing, and Smith was the perfect guy to help shore it up.
“Clearly, the focus, when you go through evaluation postseason, it was clearly that we wanted to improve our run defense, so it was a focal point,” McCarthy said. “I think this clearly does that.
“We love everything about Mazi. He was here on [one of the team’s] 30 visits. The personnel guys have high grades on him. He’s a great fit for us. One of our many strengths is we take the ball away and pass rush. We just want to get better on earlier downs, and we think this is an excellent fit for us.”
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Smith tied for eighth in the country with 34 run stops last season, per PFF. He finished the season with 48 tackles (2.5 for loss) and a half-sack from the middle of the Michigan defense.
Jones said the Cowboys had Smith ranked No. 13 or No. 14 on their big board, adding “who gives a s—?” when pressed on what exact spot it was.
All week, the Dallas front office planned on taking Smith, who impressed with 34 bench-press reps at the NFL Combine. The pick drew a viral reaction from star edge rusher Micah Parsons, most notably, who revealed that he texted defensive coordinator Dan Quinn about drafting Smith earlier in the day.
“Everybody’s fired up about Mazi,” McCarthy said. “Mazi made a huge impression on all of us on his 30 visit. There was some anticipation on this selection, so everybody’s ecstatic.”
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The organization believes the Michigan defensive tackle can help the pass rush, too, even though the 6-3, 323-pound Grand Rapids, Mich., native only had a half-sack in his career. He did record 25 pressures last season, per PFF, tied for second on the team, showing he can affect the passer without actually bringing him down from the nose tackle spot.
“When Mike [McCarthy] came in here, he talked about building a bigger, faster, stronger football team,” Cowboys VP of player personnel Will McClay said. “We’ve continued to do that, and when you look at Mazi, you have a guy … teams run the football now, as you see things change and you look at our division … a guy that can stop that, a guy that can add that value to our defense. As well as there’s an ability I think for him to rush the passer.
“You watch the Michigan tape, he’s playing flat stance, doesn’t get after the passer. But you change things up, within our defense, not only can he stop the run, but we feel like there’s upside in rushing the passer, as well, and being a disruptive force.”
Smith was sentenced to 12 months of probation for a misdemeanor weapon charge he received in December of 2022, raising some eyebrows. But the Cowboys did their research on the Michigan product — Jones said they know “everything, everything, everything,” about him and still wanted him.
“You get to see the character when we have a chance to talk through the things that he went through in his career,” McCarthy added. “I like everything about him. I like the way he was coached, I like where he’s coming from, I like the way he plays. I think this guy is an outstanding fit for our locker room and for our run defense.”
