Dallas Cowboys linebacker Greg Ellis fights against Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Jon Runyan. Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images

Cowboys first-round bust gets endorsement from former top 10 pick

Originally posted on Dallas Cowboys on SI | By Tyler Reed | Last updated Sep 23, 2025 5:45 PM ET

The Dallas Cowboys are still licking their wounds after a frustrating loss to the Chicago Bears this past Sunday.

However, it is a new week, and the Cowboys will have their hands full again this weekend when they welcome Micah Parsons and the Green Bay Packers to AT&T Stadium.

A matchup with the Packers means all hands need to be on deck. But it doesn't seem like the team still has complete trust in Mazi Smith being a player to make a difference in a game like this.

The franchise's hopes that the former first-round pick would be a pillar of the defensive line do not seem like dreams that will come true.

Former Cowboys star Greg Ellis spoke with the DLLS Cowboys team recently, and during the conversation, Ellis mentioned that he doesn't want fans calling Smith a bad player.

Former Cowboy Greg Ellis does NOT want to hear people saying Mazi Smith is a bad football player.#DallasCowboys | @DLLS_Sports pic.twitter.com/rWO65M5WPd
— DLLS Cowboys (@DLLS_Cowboys) September 23, 2025

"Stop judging Mazi and thinking he's a bad football player. There are plenty of football players that won't excel in certain schemes," Ellis said when talking about Smith's current situation.

While scheme is a big part of any player having success, Smith only being active for one game this season may tell a different story.

Cowboys fans were hoping to see more out of Smith this season. But at this current moment, it feels that his selection will be remembered as a bad pick in the history books.