MAZ-I: Cowboys rookie proves he’s simply a football-loving cyborg

Cowboys rookie Mazi Smith gave some very suspicious answers after his first preseason game on Saturday. Are we sure he’s human?

The Cowboys took an L against the Jacksonville Jaguars in their first preseason game which came with a great number of revelations. Deuce Vaughn looks like a bona fide stud. Cooper Rush is the near-certain QB2. Damone Clark and DeMarvion Overshown are going to feast. And… rookie Mazi Smith is a cyborg?

The No. 26 overall pick at the 2023 draft lived up to expectations in his first snap in a Cowboys jersey. Smith may not have dazzled as much as other players did, but in his sparse minutes, he helped eat up space in the trenches and show glimpses of his high-upside run-stopping abilities.

After the game, Smith fielded questions from reporters and talked about how “excited” he was to get his first taste of the NFL.

But based on his answers, he really didn’t sound too excited at all. With a concise and robotic delivery, Smith spoke almost too indifferently about his preseason experience. We don’t know about you, but we’re at least a little suspicious.

The highlight of the game, per Smith, was “hitting somebody.” The lowlight was “taking off the pads.” No further elaboration necessary.

Cowboys rookie Mazi Smith betrays zero feelings after first preseason game

To be clear, it’s not a bad thing if the Cowboys rookie turns out to be just a football-loving cyborg. If anything, it shows how committed Smith is to improving his game — the rest of his personality will shine through later.

Smith’s comments echo what he said earlier in Cowboys camp, when he told the media, “I don’t even like football. I like hitting people.” What if tackling is Smith’s entire personality? The Cowboys won’t be too upset about that.

Smith was reportedly targeted by the Chiefs this past April but got snatched up first by Dallas to fortify the run defense. The 337-pound tackle raised slight concerns when he had to leave training camp to get a precautionary MRI on his knee, as Smith has suffered from tendinitis for most of the offseason.

Projected to be a top-of-the-rotation player and borderline starter, Smith should be able to make an immediate impact in Year 1 assuming he stays healthy.

If his emotionless comments turn people off, just remember the message from Aliens: cyborgs can be heroes, too. The circumstances differ a bit, but Lance Bishop and Mazi Smith are both trying to complete ridiculously ambitious tasks: save the world, and take the Cowboys to the Super Bowl.