It has been a busy day for the Michigan football program as multiple players have announced where they will be playing in 2023. Now, Wolverines star DT Mazi Smith has made his NFL decision. According to a report from Adam Schefter, Smith has made the decision to declare for the 2023 NFL Draft. Smith had one year of eligibility remaining but he has decided to head to the NFL.
Mazi Smith was the No. 1 ranked “freak” in College Football
Prior to the start of the 2022 season, Bruce Feldman of The Athletic ranked Mazi Smith as the No. 1 freak in college football.
“His former teammate, Aidan Hutchinson, almost was our top guy in 2021, but this year a Wolverine is the No. 1 Freak in college football,” Feldman said. “The 6-foot-3, 337-pound senior has rare power and agility. So rare, in fact, it’s hard to find the right superlative to begin with. But let’s start with this: Smith does 22 reps on the bench press, but that’s with 325 (not 225). He close-grip benched 550 pounds. He vertical-jumps 33 inches. He broad-jumped 9-4 1/2. Smith, who had 37 tackles last season, has clocked a 4.41 shuttle time, which would’ve tied the best by any defensive tackle at this year’s NFL Scouting Combine, and it would’ve been better than any defensive tackle weighing 310 pounds or more in the past decade. His 6.95 3-cone time would’ve been by far the fastest among defensive tackles in Indianapolis. The fastest was 7.33. Smith’s 60-yard shuttle time is 11.90.”
This is a big loss for the Wolverines but it is certainly the correct decision for Smith.
