From now until the 2023 NFL Draft takes place, we hope to scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top 10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, we’ll be profiling Michigan DT/NT Mazi Smith.
#58 MAZI SMITH/DT MICHIGAN – 6’3″, 337 POUNDS
MEASURABLES
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Mazi Smith | 6’3″ / 337 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
— Great stout frame with thick lower body and midsection
— Tremendous upper body strength in the weight room and on the field
— Surprisingly great athletic ability for his size
— Uses his strength to recover and win reps that he otherwise would lose
— Generates great power when he lands his long arm, allows him to win the half-man relationship
— Has the burst and strength to develop into a good interior pass rusher
— Heavy hands and good latch strength enable his violent push/pull move and helps him steer offensive linemen against the run
— Demands double teams, rarely loses big-on-big
— Solid mental processing, keeps his eyes in the backfield while engaging blocks
— Solid motor as long as he is close to the play
— Slow reaction time off the snap, leading to a slower first step than his athleticism would indicate
— Marginal hand usage, limits his potential play strength because he struggles to create power without solid hand placement
— Pass rushing ability is hampered by a slow first step
— Pad level issues lead him to whiffed tackles and leverage disadvantage at point of contact
— Drop off in effort when he deems himself too far from the play
— Doesn’t get his hands up in the passing lanes
— Redshirt junior prospect from Grand Rapids, Michigan
— 21 years old, will be 22 in June
— Four star prospect coming out of East Kentwood High School
— Played 35 games, starting 28
— 70 career tackles, 2 sacks
— Number one player on Bruce Feldman’s “College Football Freaks” list for 2022
— Two-time All-Big 10
— Two-time Academic All-Big 10
— Team Captain
— Plead guilty to misdemeanor gun charges in December of 2022
The part of Smith’s game that sticks out is his raw upper body strength and his ability to ragdoll offensive linemen when things go right.