'Superhuman!' Cowboys Support Rookie Mazi Amid Slow Start: 'Everything We Wanted!'
The Dallas Cowboys have done a very good job of drafting in recent years, with first-round picks like CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons becoming instant stars.
On the other hand, defensive tackle Mazi Smith, the Cowboys' latest first-round pick, hasn't had as much immediate success. The former Michigan Wolverine has played mostly as a rotational player in his rookie season, recording 12 total tackles, three tackles for loss and three QB hits. Smith didn't start until Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills, and in that game, Dallas gave up 266 rushing yards in a 31-10 blowout loss.
It hasn't been the rookie season Smith envisioned, but the Cowboys still wholeheartedly believe in their latest first-round pick.
Mazi Smith
"I think there's definitely plays he can learn from as far as pad level," coach Mike McCarthy said. "But I thought he did a good job fighting, staying in his gap, fitting his gap."
Cowboys ownerJerry Jones gave an even stronger endorsement of Smith, affirming that he is more than pleased with his play so far.
"Mazi has shown us everything that we've wanted when we took him," Jones said. "He does need to continue his development. ... We're gonna need Mazi and we're gonna need him in the middle there. They're gonna come at us in the run game in the future."
Jones went so far as to compare Mazi's weight-room power to that of legendary lineman Larry Allen, using the term "superhuman strength.''
Veteran defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins, who Smith filled in for on Sunday, has taken the rookie under his wing this season, and the two have grown quite close. Through all the criticism for his newest protege, Hankins has stressed the importance of taking his time and letting the game come to him naturally.
"When you get first-round guys at those positions, you would like to see them splash out and do the same things they were doing in college," Hankins said. "To me, I don't think that's realistic, especially for me first getting into the league. I wasn't at this level that I'm at now. All in all, you gotta learn the game and it'll get better. Everything else will fall into place."
With Hankins out once again for the Cowboys' Christmas Eve game against the Miami Dolphins, Smith is on track to start his second game in a row. Ahead of said game, Hankins had some simple advice for the rookie.
"Just not think so much, just go out there and play," Hankins said. Just attack and run through a wall and rip somebody's head off. Do that and everything will take care of itself."
