'I Ain't No Sprinter!' Can Mazi Help Cowboys' Run-Stopping?

The Dallas Cowboys, a team source tells CowboysSI.com, are "prioritizing'' the return of defensive lineman Johnathan Hankins and then Carlos Watkins, two veteran free agents who can help as run-stuffers.

But there is another way.

In Daniel Jeremiah’s most new mock draft for NFL.com, he has Dallas going "wide-body'' with the 26th overall pick being used on Mazi Smith of Michigan.

Writes Jeremiah: “Smith has generated a lot of buzz in personnel circles for his combination of athleticism and power. His best football is ahead of him and he’d fill a need in Dallas.”

As always, we hate the idea of "drafting for need,'' so the bigger question that the Cowboys must answer as they build their board is whether the 6-3, 320-pound Smith is legitimately the 26th-best player in the NFL Draft.

He is a power guy; He topped D-lineman at the Scouting Combine with 34 bench press reps. He's also got athletic burst, as Michigan’s Pro Day had him with a 29.5-inch vertical jump and am 8-feet. 11-inch broad jump.

And what about his speed?

Said Smith in explaining why he skipped that test: “I’m good at football, man. I ain’t no 100-meter sprinter.”

Touche.

Osa Odigihizuwa is locked in as a Dallas tackle and Neville Gallimore, Quinton Bohanna and maybe the aforementioned combo of Hankins and Watkins could all share the load. But if the 26th-best guy in this draft is also a "load''?

It's a consideration.