The Dallas Cowboys were one of several teams starting organized team activities (OTAs) last week, which will continue this coming week and into the start of June.
For first-time head coach Brian Schottenheimer, OTAs are a great opportunity to establish his culture and identity, along with his new coaching staff. With a new regime taking over, it’s also a good opportunity for the players to start with a fresh slate and make a good first impression.
One player who must take advantage of this fresh start is former first-round pick Mazi Smith. The 24-year-old defensive tackle has struggled to live up to expectations through his first two years in the league.
Cowboys DT Mazi Smith Must Show Growth During OTAs
As a rookie, the 6-foot-3, 337-pound defensive tackle played in all 17 games, but only made three starts. Smith didn’t make a huge impact in former defensive coordinator Dan Quinn’s scheme, posting 13 combined tackles, three tackles for loss, three hits, and a sack.
However, according to Pro Football Focus, the young defensive lineman posted grades of 47.2 (overall), 74.3 (tackling), 70.0 (pass rush), and 31.8 (run defense) in 308 total snaps as a rookie.
Smith saw more snaps in Year 2, this time under new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, as Quinn took the Washington Commanders head coaching job. The former first-round pick put up better numbers in his second year as he started in all 17 games – an improvement from his rookie season.
Smith finished the year with 41 combined tackles, four tackles for loss, three quarterback hits, and a sack. Unfortunately, the former Michigan Wolverine standout's PFF grades painted a less-than-positive picture.
According to PFF, the former 27th overall pick’s overall grade was 34.8 (207th among 219 qualified defensive linemen), while his run defense grade was 35.9 (201st), and pass rush grade was 49.6 (209th). Not to mention, Smith’s tackling grade also dipped down to 54.0 as he played 524 total snaps.
Cowboys fans should be concerned by that dip, especially as Smith is supposed to excel at stopping the run, which was his calling card in college. The poor performance had the fanbase thinking the team might address the DT spot early in the 2025 NFL Draft, which they did not.
Instead, the Cowboys addressed the offensive line with their first-round pick and didn’t take a DT until the seventh round. Therefore, one could deduce that the Cowboys believe Smith could turn things around under new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus.
Earlier this offseason, Dallas' new DC was asked about Smith and believes he could take that leap in his scheme.
“Yeah, I'm excited about Mazi," Eberflus said (h/t Tommy Yarrrish of DallasCowboys.com). "I liked him coming out. He's a real explosive athlete, with a big body type that can move really well. Excited about bringing his game to the next level, and he could certainly do that."
Cowboys fans hope that is the case for Smith, because he could be the x-factor on the defensive line in 2025. However, if he doesn’t take that next step during OTAs, the former first-round pick's future in Dallas could be up in the air before the summer ends.
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