Michigan DT Mazi Smith picked in first round of 2023 NFL draft
The tip of the spear is getting his pro opportunity.
Once a four-star prospect from Grand Rapids (Mich.) Kentwood, Mazi Smith had to wait a few years before he got his opportunity. Once he did, he made the absolute most of it.
Though the stats don’t tell the whole story, Smith was the engine of the Michigan football defense, particularly this past year. Named a team captain before the season, his impact was seismic, both on and off the field.
Smith had three tackles in 2020, 37 in 2021, and 48 in 2022. Though his sack numbers weren’t through the roof (he only had half a sack in his career, with it coming last year), but he had a tackle for a loss in 2020, and 2.5 in each of the past two years. He was the type of player that clogged up the middle, commanding double teams, and helping Michigan become the seventh-best rush defense this past year.
And now, Smith will get a chance to show what he’s capable of at the pro-level, being picked No. 26 overall by the Dallas Cowboys in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft.
At the NFL scouting combine, Smith led all defensive tackles in the bench press, and was atop The Athletic’s ‘freaks’ list entering the 2022 season due to his ability to move like a skill player despite being 6-foot-3, 323-pounds.
His tenure wasn’t without controversy, however. Smith was pulled over before Week 6 and was found to be in felony possession of a firearm. As he was in process of getting a concealed carry permit, he plead guilty to a misdemeanor and the charge was lessened to that with probation.
