The thing about both shit picks is that we really had no plan for either one of them. They could not figure out that it was not how big or nimble Taco Mazi is, he is just slow off the ball and they tried to figure it out. Schoonerpooner was what? The blocking TE?
I agree, although I still believe Mazi could be an average starting NT in a 2-gapping scheme if he was allowed to stay fat and just sit in between the A gaps on 1st and 2nd down.
He was ok last year doing that but he doesn't fit a penetrating, upfield scheme in any form or fashion, which is exactly what we have now. Greg Ellis said as much in an interview I heard a few months ago, he basically called it immediately that he wouldn't fit in with what Eberflus wants his DL to do.
With all that said, the core issue is he's seemingly a lazy, unserious fuck who doesn't really care to work hard or improve his game. His timing/burst off the snap is a fatal flaw in terms of pass rush, but he could have easily stuck in the league for 6-8 years playing the run.