Mazi Smith Could Be A Force In The Middle Immediately

The Dallas Cowboys took defensive tackle Mazi Smith in the first round of this year's NFL draft, and Smith should instantly improve the team's below-average run defense. The Cowboys also think he can eventually contribute more pass rush than he showed in college, but at the very least he should be a force in the middle on early downs in his rookie season in 2023. The combination of Smith and veteran Osa Odighizuwa will allow Dallas to have a quality defensive-tackle duo to play together for a while. Smith was the team's first defensive tackle taken in the first round since Russell Maryland and Kelvin Pritchett in 1991.