The Dallas Cowboys inked all eight of their 2023 NFL Draft picks on Thursday ahead of the 2023 schedule release. Contract figures for first-round selection Mazi Smith are now out, revealing the former Michigan defender will receive $13.274 million over four years.
Smith’s deal includes $6.654 million in signing bonus money, dropping his 2023 base salary to $750,000. Following the 2023 season, his salary figures are $1.353 million for 2024, $1.956 million for 2025 and $2.560 million for 2026.
All of the money in Smith’s rookie contract is fully guaranteed. Also, Like all first-round draft picks, Smith’s contract has an additional fifth-year option that the Cowboys can choose to pick up by the 2025 offseason. Adding the fifth year would keep the talented defensive lineman in Dallas through the 2027 season.
Last year, the Cowboys inked first-round selection Tyler Smith to a four-year deal worth $13.389 million, just slightly more than Mazi Smith’s total. The offensive lineman went two spots higher than the defensive tackle, which explains the difference in salary.
With his new deal, Mazi Smith becomes the 25th highest-paid player on the Cowboys roster. He has the chance to start right away for Dallas in 2023 as a flexible tackle that also rushes the quarterback.
Smith ready to prove Cowboys right
Smith got to know the Cowboys staff and personnel over various meetings this offseason. The process culminated in a top-30 prospect visit leading up to the draft. Those meetings, especially the final visit, cemented Dallas in his mind as one of the top teams to join.
“Being with people who value what you do makes you want to do it better,” Smith said. “You can learn a lot from those people.”
As he walked through the shiny halls of the Star, Smith recounted what it meant to him to learn that defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and edge rusher Micah Parsons were fully in his corner.
Parsons reportedly texted Quinn on the morning of the draft: “Michigan DT.” His coordinator responded back: “I’m all about that life!!!!!!”
“I was like, ‘Maz, you gotta work harder,’” Smith said of his reaction. “I’m a hard worker but it’ll never be enough for a guy like that. So when I become part of the team, I wanna make everybody happy and trust in me, make everybody proud. Those are [my] big brothers already and I haven’t even met them [yet]. I’m not gonna let them down.”
