Michigan Wolverines defensive tackle Mazi Smith was a powerhouse on the field, earning accolades and attention for his exceptional skills. As a key player for the Wolverines, Smith has proven himself as a force to be reckoned with, earning the title of Michigan’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2022.
But it hasn’t been all smooth sailing for Mazi as of late. After an unfortunate run-in with the law, Smith’s senior season became riddled with controversy. While he prepared for some of the biggest games of his college career, questions loomed regarding whether or not he would even play in the Big 10 Championship and the College Football Playoff.
Smith, a team captain at Michigan, was charged with felony gun possession after a traffic stop on October 7th. Smith explained that he was in the process of applying for a concealed-weapon permit when the incident occurred. He had already taken the required 8-hour training class and was just days away from turning in his certificate.
First war room secret audio from the 2023 Draft and it's clear "Maz" is happy to be a Cowboy! 🤠#CowboysDraft | @ATT | @mazismith pic.twitter.com/2Fs9v0ohlZ
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) April 28, 2023
Despite facing criticism for not suspending Smith after his run-in with the law, Coach Jim Harbaugh chose not to suspend him at the news broke publically. Smith played in the Big Ten championship title game against Purdue on December 3rd. Michigan co-defensive coordinator Steve Clinkscale fully supported Harbaugh’s decision, stating that the coach did everything right and could not have handled the situation differently.
Smith said that he told both the police officer and Coach Harbaugh the truth from the get-go. He believed that honesty was the best policy and that his openness helped resolve the issue. About a week after the charge, Smith pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor. As a common offer for young people with no past criminal activity, Smith’s record will be cleared if he stays out of trouble for a certain period of time.
While public media outlets and rival fans tried to paint Mazi Smith as a villainous criminal, the truth is his infraction wouldn’t have even been considered a crime in many states, including Texas (the home of Michigan’s CPF opponents, TCU).
The struggles of his senior season disappeared when the Dallas Cowboys took Mazi Smith with the 26th overall pick Thursday night in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft. The Cowboys look to use him as an immediate impact player in the middle of their defensive line.
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