Evaluation
Andrew Wilbar: Mazi Smith gets a bad reputation by many fans due to limited collegiate production, much like past Wolverine prospects who have gone on to the NFL and had success. Rashaan Gary is one name who comes to mind, and, just like Gary, the issue does not lie in the player. It lies in the utilization of the player, and in Mazi’s case, it was because of his specific role. Michigan relies exclusively on their EDGE rushers to generate pressure, while the defensive tackles are utilized solely as run defenders. Despite this limitation to Smith’s overall game, Smith grew as a pass-rusher in 2022, generating pressure and pushing pockets from the interior on a relatively consistent basis. Disengaging from interior lineman and finishing on sack opportunities is the next step he needs to take, but the pass-rushing potential is there. He can also start Day 1 for an NFL team, thanks to his tremendous run-defending ability. Pick 17 may be a slight reach for the Michigan big man, but if he happens to fall to 32, the Steelers should definitely consider pulling the trigger.