Mazi isnt "missing big time" yet. Landry and Parcells both believed in the 3 year rule, and he isnt even there yet.
There are clips (granted, more limited than ideal) that show him making some quality plays the past 4-6 weeks. He's had 9 tackles in the past two games and has a number of reps where he is holding his position well. I think people have to continue to be a little patient as last yr was a lost cause due to a really poor coaching and organizational decision (having him lose weight and try to become a 3T) and this yr he's having to play in a clearly subpar scheme in a DL unit that has clearly been impacted by a slew of injuries.
He may end up being a bust, but there are some flashes here and there the last 4-6 games that things are trending upward a little.
All right, I'll give it another year, but in today's era a first-round pick has to produce at a better clip. The college game today and the pro game mirror each other much more closely than when Bear Bryant, Barry Switzer and Darryl Royal were using the Wishbone (which I'd like to see revived).
Guys who are taken in round one are taken, at least in part, because they are deemed to be able to start making plays almost immediately. They might not start right away, like I don't think Russell Maryland started right away (granted the first overall pick), but he made plays in spot duty.
Keven Smith, CB "pup", didn't start right away, but he was making significant plays by roughly mid-season.
Now if Mazi was taken in round 3, I'd be more lenient.