Raiders Scouting Report: Mazi Smith, A Surprisingly Athletic Nose Tackle

The Las Vegas Raiders are in a prime position to get two players of top-40 caliber, and defense should be the primary target in round two. One position that needs to receive more discussion for the second-round pick is the interior defensive line. Andrew Billings is underrated, but beyond that, the play in the middle was lackluster. Mazi Smith, who should be sitting at pick 38, is a terrific candidate for this selection.

Profile

• 6’3″, 337 lbs.
•  Class – SR
•  School – Michigan
•  Draft Value – 1-2 RD

Strengths

Mazi Smith could be described as the definition of a freak athlete. At his size, with ideal arm length, he moves with a rare ability. The power in his upper half is out of this world. To go along with that, he possesses staggering agility that allows him to develop a lethal combo of moves. He made it number one on the “College Football Freaks List” by Bruce Feldman. According to the report, he benched 22 reps of 325 lbs. and clocked a 4.41 shuttle and a 6.95 3 cone. These are off-the-chart numbers for someone who projects as a nose tackle. Furthermore, he demonstrates the functional strength needed and has excellent power in his punches. He proved to be a dominant force in run defense at Michigan and has traits that will translate to the pros.