Raiders 2023 7-round NFL Mock Draft: Las Vegas moves on from Derek Carr
Raiders 2023 7-round NFL Mock Draft: Las Vegas moves on from Derek Carr
Wolverines . Mazi Smith. 107. player. 811. . DT
When reading the scouting report and physical characteristics of Mazi Smith out of Michigan, it is hard to understand why some scouts have him going in the fourth or fifth round. Smith is a massive human being at 6-3 and 337lbs and runs an incredible 4.85 40 for a man of his size.
As an interior defensive lineman he does not have much in terms of raw statistics though he did record 48 tackles this season. He is one of the physical freaks in college football and reportedly bench presses 550 pounds.
He has all of the physical tools and could pursue a career in powerlifting if this football thing doesn’t work out.
The Raiders have relied on a rotating cast of defensive tackles and have been susceptible to the run since going light in that department with the likes of Jerry Tillery. Smith’s sheer size makes him a potentially great run-stuffer and his legendary strength would help in that regard as well.
The primary weakness that scouts point out are a lack of flexibility to rush around the edge and a lack of quickness despite his great speed.
The Raiders grabbed a talented defensive lineman out of Michigan a few years ago in Maurice Hurst and perhaps they can get an even better value pick in the 2023 edition. It is very possible that Smith jumps up draft boards with impressive combine were probably work out but for now he is available at this point in our mock draft.