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Cowboys Predicted to Part Ways With $13 Million Former First Round Pick

Dallas, TX – May 16, 2025

The Dallas Cowboys are predicted to part ways with defensive tackle Mazi Smith, their 2023 first-round pick (No. 26 overall), as his performance continues to fall short of expectations, according to a recent analysis by PFF. Smith, who is in the third year of a 4-year, $13.2 million contract, has struggled to justify his draft position, and 2025 is shaping up to be a make-or-break year for him.

Smith’s first two seasons in the NFL have been underwhelming. In 2023, his rookie year, he recorded just 13 tackles and 1.0 sack across 17 games with 3 starts. In 2024, despite starting all 17 games, he managed only 41 tackles, 1.0 sack, and 4 tackles for loss, with a mere 3 quarterback hits and no forced fumbles or recoveries. His PFF overall grade of 34.7 in 2024 ranked him 207th out of 219 eligible defensive tackles, marking his second consecutive season with a sub-48.0 grade.

“Former first-rounder Mazi Smith endured a particularly tough 2024 campaign,” PFF’s Mason Cameron wrote on May 9. “Although Dallas signed Solomon Thomas in free agency, that doesn’t profile as the answer to the Cowboys’ 30th-ranked run-defense grade (48.0).”

The Cowboys’ run defense has been a weak point, and Smith’s lack of impact has put his roster spot in jeopardy. One potential scenario sees the Cowboys trading Smith before the NFL trade deadline in 2025 to a team in need of an interior run defender, aiming to salvage some value before his trade stock declines further.

Smith entered the NFL with high expectations after a standout college career at the University of Michigan. In 2022, he was named to the All-Big Ten Conference team, recording 49 tackles, 1.0 sack, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery while leading the Wolverines to the College Football Playoff semifinals. The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman listed him as No. 1 on his 2022 college football “Freaks” list, praising his rare combination of power and agility at 6-foot-3 and 337 pounds.

NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein compared Smith to two-time Pro Bowler Dontari Poe but cautioned that he was more of a Day 2 talent with upside rather than an immediate starter. The Cowboys, however, saw enough potential to make him their first defensive tackle selected in the first round since Russell Maryland in 1991.

The team may have signaled their concerns about Smith in the 2025 NFL Draft, selecting two defensive tackles in the seventh round: UCLA’s Jay Toia and Maryland’s Tommy Akingbesote. If Smith fails to improve in 2025, the Cowboys could look to move on, either through a trade or by releasing him, marking a disappointing outcome for a once-promising first-round pick.

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Broncos LB Branded as a Prophet After Shocking Statements Before Week 11 Clash With Chiefs
Denver Colorado After the Denver Broncos stunned the Kansas City Chiefs with a dramatic 22 - 19 victory in Week 11 the name Nik Bonitto is dominating social media. Fans are not only buzzing about the final score but also about Bonitto’s pregame comments that have gone viral for being eerily accurate. Many are now calling him the Prophet of Mile High. A 22 to 19 comeback that stunned the Chiefs and crushed their hopes in the final minutes The Chiefs controlled most of the game but a series of fourth quarter mistakes shattered their lead. A costly midfield fumble combined with a failed red zone opportunity opened the door for the Broncos to storm back. In the final two minutes Denver scored the decisive points and flipped the game to 22 to 19 leaving Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs stunned on the sidelines. Immediately after the final whistle fans began revisiting Nik Bonitto’s pregame interview and were shocked at how perfectly his predictions matched the game’s ending. What exactly did Nik Bonitto say before the game Three days before kickoff Bonitto delivered several bold statements during his press conference. Chiefs fans dismissed them at the time but once the game unfolded his words began circulating across the entire NFL community. Some of his now viral quotes include“There will be a play late in the game that will shake the entire AFC.”“If we force them into mistakes at the right moment the game will turn instantly.”“The Broncos will control the final quarter.” What sounded like confident motivation suddenly became uncanny prophecy after the Broncos executed a late game turnaround exactly as he described. Fan reactions exploding across social media After the final score was announced social media lit up with thousands of reactions like:- “Nik Bonitto predicted every part of this and I’m terrified.”- “The Mile High Prophet is real.”- “I laughed when he said it but now I’m genuinely freaked out.” NFL pages across the AFC West reposted Bonitto’s quotes and questioned whether he had seen something in practice that gave him extraordinary confidence. How the Chiefs let the victory slip away NFL analysts pointed out that Kansas City ultimately defeated themselves. They failed to secure the ball in key moments. They wasted multiple red zone chances. They could not contain Denver’s explosive late game runs. These mistakes paved the way for Bonitto’s “prophecy” to come true. Conclusion The Broncos walked away with a huge 22 to 19 win but the buzz surrounding Nik Bonitto’s strange and shockingly accurate predictions is what continues to dominate discussions after Week 11. With this comeback victory Denver regained momentum and Bonitto unexpectedly became one of the most talked about players in the NFL.