Cowboys draft Mazi Smith with pick No. 26

The Dallas Cowboys selected Michigan interior defensive lineman Mazi Smith in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, 26th overall.

Smith joins a talented Cowboys defensive line that includes DeMarcus Lawrence, Johnathan Hankins, Osa Odighizuwa, and Neville Gallimore, among others.

The Michigan product should aid a Dallas defense that allowed 129.3 rushing yards per game last season, the 11th most in the NFL.

Smith put up one sack and one forced fumble in 2022 at Michigan.

Pre-draft profile

If your defense needs a big body in the middle to address some issues against the run, this might be your guy. The latest in a long line of highly touted Michigan defensive linemen, Smith plays with an impressive level of power. Not only can he drop the anchor and hold his ground against double teams, but he also regularly drives run-blockers into the backfield. Smith processes the run game well, showing the ability to establish position, locate the ball carrier, and shed to make a play. He's flashed some upside in the passing game with an effective push-pull move working off his bull rush, and he's more athletic than you'd think for his size, but he'd still need some development to be a consistent three-down player. Smith is a Day 1 contributor on early downs with the hope that he can eventually become more than a pocket pusher in passing situations.