Mazi Smith

Pos: DL

School: Michigan

Ht. 6’3” 

Wt. 323

Games Watched: TCU, Ohio State, Iowa, Penn State

One Liner: Athletic and powerful defensive tackle who wins with strength, quickness and a dominating frame.

Strengths: 

  • Elite Athleticism. For Smith’s size, he possesses immense athletic ability and puts it on display with his quickness, burst and lateral agility at the point of attack. Feldman’s top athlete
  • Very Good Hand Power. Smith is able to win with powerful hands that allow him to torque and displace blockers arms from his pads.
  • Good strength. Smith possesses good top to bottom strength that allows him to pivot his upper body in various ways to displace blockers. Needs to solidify his anchor in a consistent manner against the run however.
  • Good Rush moves. Smith isn’t an every down player quite yet, but against the pass he displays a solid rush arsenal to enter the backfield.

Weaknesses:

  • Marginal production. Smith is not at all a box score player, and a lot of his dominance in college came through hurries and entering the backfield.
  • Adequate motor. Smith plays hard but his motor seems to run dry after extended periods of play
  • Adequate technique at the POA. I’d like to see Smith be more refined at the POA. 

Overall Assessment: Mazi Smith is an athletic specimen who possesses some elite traits that front offices will be intrigued by. Right now, he projects as an early down run stopper due to a lack of refinement and consistency in his game, but these traits are projectable and Smith has the potential to be an every down gap stuffer who can make his presence felt in the backfield as a pass rusher due to his quickness and developed rush arsenal. 

Pro Comp: Dontari Poe  

Scheme Fit: Early down run stuffer as a 1t or 2i. Best against gap schemes.

Pick Projection: Early – Late 2nd round

Grade: 6.41