As the NFL season winds down, FantasyPros will be taking a look at early NFL draft scouting reports before the combine in March. Here’s a look at Mazi Smith.
Check out all of our 2023 NFL Draft Scouting Reports & Prospect Profiles 
Mazi Smith (DL – Michigan)
6’3” – 337 lbs.
Background:
Played sparingly in his first two seasons with the Wolverines before stepping into a starting role in 2021, a season in which he totaled 37 tackles (2.5 for loss), as well as fourteen hurries and twenty-one stops per PFF. Had a nearly identical season this past year, with 48-2.5-0.5.
Positives:
Two-year starter for a major program with consistent play in each season. Massive nose tackle with an ideal frame for a zero-technique, the position he typically played in school on the team’s three-man defensive lines. Anchor strength is as strong as you’d think for a player with his size. Able to dig in at the line of scrimmage or scrape toward the play direction; pretty good awareness of opposing ballcarriers. Holds his ground against double-teams. Consistently keeps his shoulders square. Shows the ability to discard blockers or make tackles while engaged. A little bit more sudden than anticipated; has some lateral quickness and a solid swipe move to try and create pressure. Shows some understanding of how to set up opposing blockers. Pretty active with his hands as a pass rusher. Actively seeks out alternative paths to the passer. Closes surprisingly fast once he finds a lane. Played a relatively high number of snaps for the team, regularly staying on the field for forty-plus snaps per game. Known for his incredible workout numbers.
As the NFL season winds down, FantasyPros will be taking a look at early NFL draft scouting reports before the combine in March. Here’s a look at Mazi Smith.
Check out all of our 2023 NFL Draft Scouting Reports & Prospect Profiles
Mazi Smith (DL – Michigan)
6’3” – 337 lbs.
Background:
Played sparingly in his first two seasons with the Wolverines before stepping into a starting role in 2021, a season in which he totaled 37 tackles (2.5 for loss), as well as fourteen hurries and twenty-one stops per PFF. Had a nearly identical season this past year, with 48-2.5-0.5.
Positives:
Two-year starter for a major program with consistent play in each season. Massive nose tackle with an ideal frame for a zero-technique, the position he typically played in school on the team’s three-man defensive lines. Anchor strength is as strong as you’d think for a player with his size. Able to dig in at the line of scrimmage or scrape toward the play direction; pretty good awareness of opposing ballcarriers. Holds his ground against double-teams. Consistently keeps his shoulders square. Shows the ability to discard blockers or make tackles while engaged. A little bit more sudden than anticipated; has some lateral quickness and a solid swipe move to try and create pressure. Shows some understanding of how to set up opposing blockers. Pretty active with his hands as a pass rusher. Actively seeks out alternative paths to the passer. Closes surprisingly fast once he finds a lane. Played a relatively high number of snaps for the team, regularly staying on the field for forty-plus snaps per game. Known for his incredible workout numbers.
Negatives:
Arms may be a little bit shorter than ideal. Gets upright out of his stance instead of firing out low. Doesn’t always get full extension to lock out opposing blockers. Range in pursuit is limited. Lower-body strength is excellent but doesn’t really reset the line of scrimmage with his bull rush, often ending up at the line of scrimmage. Has been able to generate pressure on passing downs in college, but hasn’t been able to seal the deal, which may limit him to more of a rotational/two-down role as a pro. Repertoire of counters is limited; wins with his initial move or idles. May draw relatively little interest from teams with one-gap defensive principles.
Summary:
A pretty polished nose tackle with excellent size, impressive stamina, and awareness, he should appeal to two-gap defensive fronts, particularly those with three down linemen, as a space-eating zero-technique for the line rotation. May never be a major impact player, but also doesn’t have a lot of technical or fundamental issues to work on, so he should be able to contribute relatively early in his career.
Projection: Round 3-4
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