Cowboys fans lash out with Taco Charlton flashbacks after Mazi Smith pick

The Cowboys drafted Mazi Smith in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft and fans were immediately shook with flashbacks to Taco Charlton. 

After the Buffalo Bills traded up to jump the Dallas Cowboys for Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid, many fans of America’s Team assumed they would simply take the second-best tight end on the board, Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer. Instead, they selected Michigan defensive lineman Mazi Smith in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

Smith is bursting at the seams with upside, an absolute physical freak who can be a game-wrecking presence on the interior of the Cowboys defensive line, something they needed, in between two studs like DeMarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons.

Having said that, some Cowboys fans couldn’t help but think about the most infamous first-round bust for Dallas in the past decade, another Michigan defensive lineman, Taco Charlton.

Cowboys fans angry over Mazi Smith pick with Taco Charlton flashing before their eyes

The mere thought of Charlton sent them numerous Cowboys fans into an absolute tailspin.

While taking a Michigan player who plays on the defensive front and was not all that productive in college is enough reason for some to have Taco Charlton PTSD flare up, the fact of the matter is that’s just patently false.

Charlton’s biggest shortcoming as an NFL player was his lack of athleticism and burst off the edge, which essentially put him in an advantageous position with every rep where he was trying to rush. Smith, on the other hand, is an absolute physical freak who is extremely explosive — he just hasn’t put all the tools together.

Furthermore, the Cowboys now have Dan Quinn in the building, who has proven he can develop high-end players with high-end traits. That’s what Smith is, and he’s now in good hands.

So yes, the Taco Charlton pick still stings. But Dallas has legitimately hit on nine of their last 10 first-round picks with Charlton being the exception. They’ve earned the benefit of the doubt, especially with Smith, a prospect who profiles miles differently than Charlton.