by: Griffin McVeigh 3 minutes ago griffin_mcveigh
Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Mazi Smith (58) after the game against the San Francisco 49ers. – Kyle Terada/USA TODAY Sports
To this point, former first-round pick Mazi Smith has not lived up to the billing. When the Dallas Cowboys took him out of Michigan , many hoped he would anchor the defensive line for years to come. Smith has not performed as such through two seasons, still looking to capture something heading into Year 3.
And so far, results have not been good. Those are the words of the man himself. Smith gave a brutally honest assessment of his performance during the Cowboys’ first preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams. Not too often do we hear a player speak like this.
“I just have to keep getting better,” Smith said via Patrik Walker. “The first [preseason game], I wasn’t happy with at all, to be honest. I didn’t do anything. I just need to keep learning the scheme and keep getting off the ball. I just didn’t do anything, you know? Like, you gotta do something. I’m a first-round pick. There’s expectations and all that. This is my third year.”
Looking at the stat sheet, you do not see Smith’s name pop up. He did not record a tackle, lining up with him saying, “I didn’t do anything.” Usually, a third-year player who was a first-round pick does not find themselves participating in a preseason game, let alone lacking any contribution.