The Dallas Cowboys had a productive offseason after missing out on the playoffs in 2024. They used free agency and the trade market to bring in new players, but their bread and butter has always been the NFL draft.
They selected nine players during April's draft, and some of them will be playing a significant role. OTAs first started on May 19 and had a flurry of them running until June 5.
These practices give players a shot to impress the coaching staff and DT Jay Toia has already stepped up. During a practice on May 29, Toia was seen getting first-team reps.
That shows he has already caught the staff's eye for the right reasons and could be on the right track to get some serious reps in 2025.
While that is great news for the rookie, it shows that defensive tackle Mazi Smith is expendable. He was drafted in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft, but has been a massive letdown. In 34 games (20 starts), he has logged 54 total tackles, seven TFLs, six QB hits, and two sacks.
Many people thought he would be an effective run stuffer, but that's far from the truth. He's finished with a 35.9 or lower run defense grade in his first two seasons, according to PFF.
The fact that Toia is already getting first-team reps in OTAs isn't a good sign for Smith. The UCLA product is listed at 341 pounds, and he eats up blockers along the interior. He has good vision to find the ball carrier and owns a good understanding of blocking schemes. In his college career, Toia had 91 tackles, nine TFLs, and three sacks.
The Cowboys already have Osa Odighizuwa as their No. 1 DT, but it looks like Toia can take that No. 2 role from Smith.