Ex-Cowboys Scout Makes Surprise Mazi Smith Revelation
The Dallas Cowboys 2023 season started off well but ended in disarray. The Cowboys went 12-5, won the NFC East, and locked down the No. 2 seed in the NFC. Despite that, they were knocked out in Super Wild Card Weekend.
Dallas selected eight total players in the 2023 NFL Draft to contribute to the squad and used the 26th overall pick on DT Mazi Smith from the University of Michigan.
Things never got off the ground for Smith in 2023 but an ex-Cowboys scout revealed that he may be going through some things off the field.
If your ears didn’t perk up when you heard Broaddus say this… you didn’t listen close enough.
— Landon Holifield ✭ (@TheLandoShow) May 13, 2024
This particular topic is personal to me & I’m deeply passionate about it.
— it’s a HUGE part of where my mantra “sports below the surface” originated.
We, as sports fans, FAR too… pic.twitter.com/MFLnYALwrf
Cowboys News: Mazi Smith May Be Dealing With Some Things Off the Field
Former Dallas staffer Bryan Broaddus recently hinted that Smith could be going through some mental health issues that impacted his rookie season.
Broaddus said, "There should be some concern about Mazi's well-being." He added, "There's things of a young player when you deal with the expectations and then where you're at can be a little rough on players."
We want to note that neither Smith nor the Dallas Cowboys released any info about this, but you have to believe Broaddus is confident in his sources in order to share this.
Being a professional athlete is extremely tough for anyone, especially a 22-year-old. It doesn't make it any easier to be playing on America's Team and always being in the spotlight.
Smith was brought in to be a run-stuffing presence along the interior but he struggled to make an impact as a rookie. The 2023 first-round pick suited up in all 17 games, though only played in 28% of the defensive snaps. He finished with 13 total tackles with three tackles for loss and three QB hits.
Additionally, he underwent shoulder surgery in the offseason and is slated to be ready sometime during training camp. The combination of his disappointing rookie season and then having to rehab his way back onto the field could be taking a toll on Smith's mental.
If this report is true, we all hope that Smith takes time away and focuses on getting back to feeling like himself.
The game of football will always be here, but taking care of yourself is always No. 1.
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