The Mazi Smith Thread...

[boozeman]

Lookit, y'all.

I am not trying to start anything with @Simpleton, but I honestly think we fucked that pick up so bad.

We need to come together and talk about this.

How does his lack of development make you feel?

I was playing with the Taco Mazi thing because it was funny, but now it is starting to become very, very real as it is happening again.

I will tell you, the player bothers me. He bothers me a lot.

 

[boozeman]

I will give the player his respect in his name for this thread only.

 

[Rev]

The biggest concern that I have is that the lack of development scares the front office from spending the resources needed to address this problem. Im afraid of going back to John Nix and the arkansas kid.

 

[P_T]

IMO, he should get one full year before we begin evaluating him in earnest.

 

[roughneck266]

IMO, he should get one full year before we begin evaluating him in earnest.

This is where I am as well.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I might be more negative on him than you, boozie. I think he can't play. I'm not sure how much he wants to play.

Rarely have I seen a 1 tech type player put on skates as much as he is. And by nondescript OL players, not stars.

The only thing I've seen him do is on pass downs, if the OL is already backing up and Mazi gets a step or two head start, he can push the guy backwards. But that's it.

I think he'll eventually be a below-average player that they put out there but try to work around, Bobby Carpenter-style.

 

[Simpleton]

IMO, he should get one full year before we begin evaluating him in earnest.

This is true but there's way too much smoke with this very strange situation of him dropping down to the 290-300 range after coming into the league at 320-330.

I honestly have no idea what to make of it. His college tape is more or less what you want to see out of a NT prospect, he was the centerpiece of Michigan's elite run defense and even flashed as a pass rusher at times. I started to suspect in the offseason that he had some maturity issues ("I just like to hit people.") but the lack of playing time combined with this weight loss situation is too much to ignore.

Jordan Davis had a similar rookie season but the weight loss stuff is what really concerns me.

 

[boozeman]

IMO, he should get one full year before we begin evaluating him in earnest.

Feh. He has shown zero spark. I don’t think dropping his weight is a smart idea.

 

[NoDak]

I'm not too worried. Would I have liked to see him come out and look great? Of course. We all would. But I'm willing to give him some time. This team has done a good job of evaluating talent for some time now, and they obviously saw something in this kid. If he's still struggling in the first few games of next year, then I'll start to worry. I think it's very short sighted to just give up on him from the start. And if he never gets it? It happens. It sucks, but it happens. Not one team in the NFL hasn't had their misses in the first round.

As for being scared the team going away from the position if he fails, I don't see it. If anything, I think they would be willing to put more resources into the position. This team has changed a lot from how we used to do business. Do we still have our warts? Sure. But whether it's Fat Mike, McClay, Jerry, Stephen a combination, or whatever. What they've been doing lately is a vast improvement over what we had for years.

 

[Rev]

IMO, he should get one full year before we begin evaluating him in earnest.

We are one game from ending the regular season.

 

[bbgun]

We need to come together and talk about this.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

As for being scared the team going away from the position if he fails, I don't see it. If anything, I think they would be willing to put more resources into the position. This team has changed a lot from how we used to do business. Do we still have our warts? Sure. But whether it's Fat Mike, McClay, Jerry, Stephen a combination, or whatever. What they've been doing lately is a vast improvement over what we had for years.

I'd be fine if we just paid for NTs in free agency or traded lower picks for one (like Hankins). That way you know if they can play, and they don't cost a lot compared to other positions.

But I'm not worried they'll just give up on the position, either. Mike has talked about needing to get bigger and improve the run D in too many PCs.

 

[Simpleton]

I'm not too worried. Would I have liked to see him come out and look great? Of course. We all would. But I'm willing to give him some time. This team has done a good job of evaluating talent for some time now, and they obviously saw something in this kid. If he's still struggling in the first few games of next year, then I'll start to worry. I think it's very short sighted to just give up on him from the start. And if he never gets it? It happens. It sucks, but it happens. Not one team in the NFL hasn't had their misses in the first round.

As for being scared the team going away from the position if he fails, I don't see it. If anything, I think they would be willing to put more resources into the position. This team has changed a lot from how we used to do business. Do we still have our warts? Sure. But whether it's Fat Mike, McClay, Jerry, Stephen a combination, or whatever. What they've been doing lately is a vast improvement over what we had for years.

If he fails I think it's mostly a matter of maturity/lack of passion for the game.

Taco lacked the burst/bend you want out of a DE combined with being a dumbass off the field, Mazi's issues seem to be primarily mental or emotional. There's no physical reason he should be getting off the ball a tick or two late consistently this deep into his rookie year.

 

[shoop]

I am very disappointed in what he has shown so far. I’m willing to give him into next season if DQ wills it. We have busted on one 1st round pick in the last decade. The evaluation has been spot on for the most part.

What I wouldn’t do is count on a miraculous turn around from him and insist on not doing anything to address the position.

 

[shoop]

Being late off the ball as much as he is is completely insane. If it is lack of effort or desire then move on. If it is skill or practice e then give him time and attention.

 

[Rev]

I'd be fine if we just paid for NTs in free agency or traded lower picks for one (like Hankins). That way you know if they can play, and they don't cost a lot compared to other positions.

But I'm not worried they'll just give up on the position, either. Mike has talked about needing to get bigger and improve the run D in too many PCs.

Yeah but he also talked about getting back to the running game this year and didnt address the issue.

 

[bbgun]

The Seattle pre-season game was the first sign of trouble, when he was consistently moved off the ball by backups. DT is not a cerebral position, and you don't need an entire year before you "show" something.

 

[Genghis Khan]

I'd be fine if we just paid for NTs in free agency or traded lower picks for one (like Hankins). That way you know if they can play, and they don't cost a lot compared to other positions.

But I'm not worried they'll just give up on the position, either. Mike has talked about needing to get bigger and improve the run D in too many PCs.

My concern is if they go into next season counting on him improving instead of bringing in another DT to at least compete.

I'm otherwise reserving final judgment on him until next season.

 

[Genghis Khan]

The Seattle pre-season game was the first sign of trouble, when he was consistently moved off the ball by backups. DT is not a cerebral position, and you don't need an entire year before you "show" something.

DTs actually often need a year before showing something.

 

[bbgun]

DTs actually often need a year before showing something.

C'mon. If you have instincts and strength, you can succeed right away.