Cowboys Mazi Smith Analysis? 'Who Gives a S*** - We Got Him!' - Owner Jerry Jones
The Dallas Cowboys were thought to be drafting a tight end with the No.26 pick but moved in a different direction and addressed a serious need on defense. Dallas added run-stuffer Mazi Smith out of Michigan in a move that shores up what was a problem area last season.
Should we overanalyze this thing, starting with where Dallas had him on their big board compared to, say, those tight ends?
"Who gives a s***?'' quipped Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. "We got him!''
Given that only one tight end was taken before Dallas selected Smith (the Bills jumped one spot ahead of the Cowboys, to 25, to steal Dalton Kincaid), perhaps that swayed their thinking a bit, and maybe a tight end could be available when Dallas' second-round pick comes around.
While it isn't the flashy signing many wanted, Smith addresses a need that Dallas desperately needed to fill. Despite having the fifth-best defense in terms of points against per game (20.1), it was against the run where Dallas struggled last season.
The Cowboys conceded rushing totals of over 150 yards six times last year, with two being 200+ yard games.
The addition of the combine's second-best defensive lineman in terms of his athleticism, Smith will ease the pressure on the likes of Micah Parsons and Demarcus Lawrence to then get after the quarterback.
Johnathan Hankins was signed last season to stem the Cowboys' bleeding against the run, and it was noticeable when he wasn't in the lineup. Now with Smith there to plug the running gaps, the fix should be immediate.
NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah predicted Dallas taking Smith in one of his mock drafts, and his selection has come to fruition. As one source told CowboysSI.com immediately after the pick, "He's a powerful force!''
For the record, Dallas insists that Mazi was "13th or 14th on our board.'' And "who gives a s***?'' Hopefully opponents who will now find it more difficult to shove the ball down the throat of the Dallas defense.
COWBOYS FISH REPORT … now a podcast! Join us inside The Star, ANY TIME!
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Dallas Cowboys?
Follow FishSports on Twitter
Follow Adam Schultz on Twitter
Follow Cowboys / Fish on Facebook
Subscribe to the Cowboys Fish Report on YouTube for constant daily Cowboys live reports!
