Mazi Smith coming into his own at Dallas Cowboys training camp

Second-year defensive tackle Mazi Smith is beginning to show flashes of promise after a disappointing 2023 campaign for the former first-round pick.

Jul 29, 2023; Oxnard, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Mazi Smith (58) wears a Guardian helmet cap during training camp at the River Ridge Fields. / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

It is no secret that Mazi Smith struggled during his rookie season in Dallas, and offseason shoulder surgery had many wondering whether he would ever be able to perform at the level Dallas had hoped when he was selected in the first round of the 2023 draft.

The good news is Smith showed up to camp bigger and stronger than he was as a rookie.

According to Bryan Broaddus of 105.3 The Fan, Smith is coming into camp at 310 pounds, which is a vast improvement from the 293 pounds he weighed during his first season.

After one week of training camp in Oxnard, Smith has shown some flashes of brilliance that remind everyone why he was a first-round pick.

Mazi Smith eats the double team (like a true NT) and it clogs the RB lane.

Afterwards, he and Brock Hoffman have words after Mazi tries to sling him at the end of the block. #Cowboys

Getting heated between Mazi and Brock. 🔥

More… always more. pic.twitter.com/r4KkTbKeXZ

— Patrik [No C] Walker (@VoiceOfTheStar) July 31, 2024

Because Smith has shown up bigger this season and closer to his playing weight at the University of Michigan, Smith has been able to anchor the defensive line and clog up running lanes.

The team has also been giving Smith all of the first-team reps as the 1-tech, and in drills, he has been active with a strong pop out of his stance. His push off of the line of scrimmage has been impressive and a noticeable improvement.

Mazi Smith pic.twitter.com/1t0RznAVUS

— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) July 30, 2024

The Cowboys coaching staff has been working diligently with Smith and helping to boost his confidence as he works towards a bounce back season.

Mazi Smith and new Cowboys DL coach Jeff Zgonina have spent a lot of time around each other these first couple days at camp.

Zgonina, a 17-year NFL veteran at DT, will be an important piece to Smith’s development this season. pic.twitter.com/XbobumEtph

— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisDC) July 26, 2024

There is still plenty of room for Smith to continue growing, but it's a positive sign to see the leap forward he has made through one week of camp.

As the Cowboys prepare for Week 2, which begins on Friday morning, it's going to be interesting to see if Smith can continue his upwards trajectory and continued development.

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