Michigan soccer star Mazi Smith has been charged with a misdemeanor firearms offense which could land him up to five years in prison if convicted.
In early October, Michigan football star Mazi Smith was involved in an incident that resulted in him being charged Wednesday with carrying a concealed weapon. According to Michigan Live, if convicted, the defensive tackle could end up in jail for up to five years and fined $2,500.
The details of the incident – and why the charges took almost two months to be filed – are unclear, as at this stage all that has been made available is the arrest warrant.
Smith played against Indiana the day after the October incident, recording five total tackles, the second most tackles in a single game this season for Smith. He has 43 tackles this season, which ranks sixth on the team, and has been an integral part of the Wolverines’ undefeated season.
Mazi Smith’s stock will be questioned after the incident.
Again, the details are incredibly nebulous, and the timeline between the incident and the charges is curious to say the least. Smith is a senior and he’s sure his prospects for the NFL Draft this spring are bright.
Most analysts consider Smith one of the top five players in his position group, but his stock could take a massive hit due to this felony charge. Teams fear that if the charge isn’t settled to their liking at draft time, Smith may never see an NFL pitch. Even if the charges are dropped, questions about Smith’s character will come to mind before any potential on-field assessments.
Several months separate us from the draft, so there is plenty of time for this charge to be dropped, settled, or otherwise ended with some certainty before the teams need to make a decision on Smith.
John Shea will represent Smith according to ESPN. Shea once defended a UM professor for transporting a minor across state lines for sex. The professor was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty.
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