Dallas Cowboys first-round pick Mazi Smith struggled through his rookie season, mainly looking like a fish out of water.
The former Michigan Wolverine made 13 tackles with one sack in 17 games, including three starts. Entering Year 2 in a new defense under Mike Zimmer, Smith is out to prove he can be counted on.
"I want to go over there [with] a clean slate," Smith said, via the team's official website. "Write my story. I don't really set goals, everybody wants to be an All-Pro. Everybody wants to be top-five. I want to be the best me I can be. I know what that can get me. It got me to this point, so I'm not worried about accolades."
As a rookie, Smith often got washed out, particularly in the run game, struggling to plug the gap in Dan Quinn's defense. The entire Cowboys defense was a sieve against the run, and Smith's struggles underscored those issues.
"Last year was hard for me," Smith said. "I always held myself to a certain standard. I feel like I'm where I'm supposed to be now…
"My whole career, I've been a guy that can play in multiple schemes. I've got the athletic traits to be an upfield guy. I've got the strength to play at the line of scrimmage and build a wall. I've always faced those questions. I don't want to be 290. I probably want to be 310, 315."
The hope is that playing a penetrating role in Zimmer's defense will unlock the talent the Cowboys saw in Smith before making him a first-round pick. Dallas' offseason inactivity included not upgrading the interior in free agency, which makes Smith's improvement vital for the D to thrive in 2024.