The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1499505
JUNE/JULY 2023 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 19 position on offense, defense and spe- cial teams in the past eight years under Harbaugh. Here's a rundown of the Michigan players selected in Kansas City this year: MAZI SMITH, DT FIRST ROUND, NO. 26 OVERALL DALLAS COWBOYS Until commissioner Roger Goodell announced Smith's selection, Michigan hadn't had a first-round defensive tackle since 1985, when the same franchise took Kevin Brooks No. 17 overall. The Cowboys ranked fourth in the league with 54 sacks and eighth in overall pass defense but slotted 22nd against the run. The team's brass said that was an area that needed addressing, and Smith was the perfect guy to help shore it up. "Clearly, the focus, when you go through evaluation in the postseason, it was clear that we wanted to improve our run defense, so it was a focal point," head coach Mike McCarthy said. "I think this clearly does that. We love everything about Mazi. … He's a great fit for us." Smith finished the 2022 season with 38 tackles (2.5 for loss) for the Wolverines. LUKE SCHOONMAKER, TE SECOND ROUND, NO. 58 OVERALL DALLAS COWBOYS Apparently, the only thing better than drafting one Michigan player is taking two. The Cowboys didn't hesitate with their second pick, even though some in the media believe they reached to take Luke Schoonmaker in the second round. Seven of eight publications we rounded up gave the choice a "C+" or worse grade. But the Cowboys — who lost tight end Dalton Schultz, now a Houston Texan, in free agency this offseason — think Schoonmaker can make an impact right away. McCarthy called him "well rounded" and is impressed with how Michigan prepared him for the next level. "I would definitely view him as a starter type, as far as his impact," the head man revealed. "I know he will clearly play all four positions in the tight end area — on the line, off the ball, lead back and dis- placed." Added McCarthy: "There's not going to be a whole lot that he hasn't done that we'll ask him to do." DJ TURNER, CB SECOND ROUND, NO. 60 OVERALL CINCINNATI BENGALS One year after taking Michigan defen- sive back Dax Hill in the first round, the Bengals further boosted their secondary by nabbing speedy cornerback DJ Turner, the talk of the combine with his 4.26-sec- ond 40-yard dash, the fourth fastest in the history of the event. Turner, who appeared in 36 games with 22 starts in his U-M college career, is a versatile player who can line up at mul- tiple spots. "We felt like we needed to add depth there in the secondary, and he's a guy who can come in and compete in multiple roles for us and provide depth outside and in- side," Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said. "So excited to welcome him to the mix." Turner notched 3 interceptions for Michigan in his career, including 1 last season. He finished with 36 tackles, in- cluding 27 solo stops and 1 for a loss, in 2022. JAKE MOODY, K THIRD ROUND, NO. 99 OVERALL SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS The 49ers decided to nip their need for a kicker in the bud and take Moody at No. 99. He became the highest-drafted kicker since Roberto Aguayo in 2016 (No. 59, second round) and just the fourth player at the position to be chosen top 100 this century. Accordingly, he was the first kicker drafted this year. The 49ers lost kicker Robbie Gould, who actually mentored Moody in the pre-draft process, to free agency this off- season, creating urgency to solidify the position. "When you put this much work into making your roster as competitive as we have, you're going to be in a lot of close games, and kickers matter," 49ers general manager John Lynch said. The 49ers have appeared in back-to- back NFC championship games and made the Super Bowl in 2019 under head coach Kyle Shanahan. "Anything I can do to help the team win a Super Bowl — that's obviously the goal," Moody said. A consensus All-American in 2021 and a second-team pick in 2022, Moody MOST 2023 NFL DRAFT PICKS BY SCHOOL Rk. School Picks 1. Alabama 10 Georgia 10 3. Michigan 9 4. TCU 8 5. Clemson, Florida, 6 LSU, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Pitt With Jake Moody (13) and Brad Robbins (91) picked in the third and sixth rounds, respec- tively, Michigan became only the second college program with both a kicker and punter taken in the same draft over the last 40 years. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY