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Overview

Heading into the Fiesta Bowl, Smith was considered one of the best defenders in the country and a sure-fire elite prospect in the 2016 NFL Draft. He tore the ACL and MCL in his left knee during the team’s loss to Ohio State, however, placing some doubt on whether he would apply for early entry. The 2015 consensus All-American decided he had done enough in his college career, however, deciding to put his name in the hat despite the intense rehabilitation ahead of him. Smith became the second player to win both the high school and college Butkus Awards as the nation’s top linebacker, joining former Notre Dame star Manti Te'o, by leading the Irish with 113 tackles, nine of which went for losses. It was the second straight season Smith topped the defensive stats chart in tackles (112) and made nine TFLs. In his first year on campus, Smith started all 13 games, making 67 stops, 6.5 for loss. It is expected that Smith will bounce back from his knee surgery to become the athletic, explosive defender that wowed scouts over the past three years.


Analysis

Strengths Angular, sinewy build with a body fat number you could count on one hand. Checks every size, weight, speed and athleticism box there is. Can sink hips and change direction with suddenness in space. Has length and quickness for extended playmaking radius. Racked up 225 tackles over his last two seasons as a starter. Lightning quick lateral scrapes from gap to gap following track of the ball. Able to transition from scrape to spring seamlessly. Has a turbo boost to race running backs to the corner. Tries to meet oncoming blocks with physical punch and desired arm extension to stay clean. Adequate speed to diagnose and respond. Play speed is elite for the position. Very talented in man coverage. Asked to take on challenging man coverage responsibilities and responded. Has tools to become an excellent blitzer.


Weaknesses

Tackles for loss production doesn't match up with his traits. Too passive in his approach preferring to wait on plays rather than racing downhill to own them. Not strong enough at point of attack to maintain balance and positioning when blockers get into his frame. Understands angles to the ball, but still learning shortcuts through the gaps. Flies after the ball with reckless abandon failing to come to balance as a tackler. Has habit of lunging into arm tackles rather than using feet to work into better tackling position. Missed 11 tackles this year. Tore ACL and MCL in his bowl game and his rookie season is in doubt.

Draft Projection Rounds 5 or 6



Sources Tell Us

"He reminds me so much of DJ (Derrick Johnson) when he came out. Same frame, same speed and same playmaking ability. Both of those guys are made for the pro game." --* Former AFC defensive coach

NFL Comparison Derrick Johnson


Bottom Line


In this day and age of "tweeners" being labeled "hybrid" players, Smith is the rare commodity who is truly hybrid in the sense that he has the athleticism, speed and physical makeup to play any linebacker spot in either the 3*-4 or the 4-*3. Smith was productive but slightly miscast in the middle of the Notre Dame defense and is better suited to play in space as a 4*-3 outside linebacker. However, his length and upfield burst could draw the attention of a 3-*4 team looking to transition him into a rush linebacker while utilizing his rare cover skills. News regarding Smith's injury and potential issues surrounding recovery have created doubt regarding his draft stock and his final landing spot will be determined by a team's medicals. Without the injury issues, he's one of the top player's in this draft.


Jaylon Smith || "Welcome to Dallas" || Notre Dame Highlights - YouTube
 
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Cowboys Believe “Cornerstone” Talent Jaylon Smith Worth Potential Redshirt Season

IRVING, Texas – Jaylon Smith was at a private bowling alley with family and friends – including his brother, Cowboys running back Rod Smith – in their hometown of Fort Wayne, Ind., when the Cowboys called and made him their second-round draft choice (No. 34 overall) early Friday evening.

“I’m a huge bowler,” Jaylon said. “I love bowling.”

Jaylon Smith loves football, too. He can’t predict the exact date, but he’s looking forward to returning the field healthy.

In his final college game on New Year’s Day, the standout Notre Dame linebacker suffered a serious left knee injury against Ohio State. Three and a half months since the injury, which included ligament and peroneal nerve damage, he said the knee is doing well structurally. It’s the nerve that must regenerate with time, and “it’s too early in the process to tell when.”



“The nerve could come back tomorrow. It’s just a timing thing,” Smith said. “When it wants to come back it’ll come back.

“I’m going to be fine. I’ll be able to play again. Timing is everything. For Dallas to draft me, they’re going to get a great player. I’m looking forward to playing for a great team.”

The Cowboys’ team physician, Dr. Dan Cooper, performed Smith’s knee surgery in January, and executive vice president Stephen Jones said the organization had a good grasp on his injury situation.

“We just think he’s going to be a great football player,” Jones said. “He may not play this year, which we accept, but I think what he ultimately is going to be is certainly worth investing our second-round pick.”

Smith’s return date is unclear. When healthy, though, he has been a dominant defender at the college level. A three-year starter at Notre Dame, he won the 2015 Butkus Award recognizing the nation’s top linebacker. The Cowboys felt Smith could have been a top five pick if healthy, and team owner/general manager Jerry Jones said they ranked Smith in the top five on their draft board as a “cornerstone” type defensive prospect.

Cowboys defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli said Smith is versatile enough to play “Will” (weak side) or “Mike” (middle) linebacker in his scheme.

“His tape just leaps off the screen,” Marinelli said. “I mean, he is really good. He’s really athletic in space, great hands, great tackler, blitzer. He’s just a real ball player. I think he fits anybody. But in our system the way we’d use him, it’d be pretty special.

“You look at a guy like this, and you look a year from now, we’ve got one of the best players in the draft. Obviously there’s patience and all those things that go with that, but he’s well worth it.”

Smith joins the Cowboys with a support system already in place, with Dr. Cooper part of the medical team and Smith’s brother, Rod, his new teammate.

The last three and a half months have been challenging, to say the least. Once considered a certain first-round pick, Smith’s draft projection fluctuated due to his injury.

When the Cowboys called Friday night, Smith was clearly emotional.

“Just everything I’ve been through thus far,” he said. “It’s been the most challenging time of my life, but at the same time it’s been the best time of my life where my dream just came true.”
 

ThoughtExperiment

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I knew they'd put way too much stock in Cooper doing the surgery. As if that somehow can make him heal faster.

But Jerry loves little tie-ins like this.
 

dbair1967

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Love the kid, but it was an incredibly stupid decision by this organization with that high a pick.

If he would have somehow made it to our pick in the 4th rd, maybe you think about it there. But not at 34.
 
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Love the kid, but it was an incredibly stupid decision by this organization with that high a pick.

If he would have somehow made it to our pick in the 4th rd, maybe you think about it there. But not at 34.

Agreed. Just can't understand how constant playoff teams draft the obviously high ranked and elite players, but Dallas, who does not make the playoffs often and can't seem to solve its depth or player development problems,continues to make decisions on acquiring players that shows very poor planning or just bizarre ideation.
 

dbair1967

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Dallas Cowboys: Michael Irvin raves about Cowboys' draft: Picking Elliott was best for team; Jaylon Smith is 'the next black Luke Kuechly' | SportsDay

On the Cowboys' selection of Ezekiel Elliott, and his opinion of the team's whole draft:

"Man, I was ecstatic, man. I was so happy. I was, like, 'Oh my God. I'm so glad, Jerry.' They made the best decision for this team by taking that kid. ... I was so ecstatic, man, when Jerry made that pick, man. I'm blown away -- I'm blown away, just blown away with these draft reports I'm seeing. People just hatin' -- they just love messing with Jerry. Even when Jerry gets it right, they want to say he got it wrong, because Jerry got it right this draft. And I'm not just talking about Ezekiel Elliott."

On the Cowboys' selection of Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith at No. 34, which Irvin announced at the draft in Chicago:

"I'm telling y'all right, I'm telling y'all right now, and I need all the people talking about this Jaylon Smith kid -- I'm gonna tell y'all right ... now. I kept his card; I got the card right here next to me. ... I'ma hold on to this card, and when I see this kid in Canton, Ohio, I'ma have him sign it for me. It was one of the greatest thrills of my career to sit and announce that pick, and when he made that pick, when he picked Smith, oh my God! Oh my God! I was off the wall, off the wall. ... I know he has adversity in front of him, but I know the kind of dude he is. He'll come back. ... The baddest man in the league right now, the baddest linebacker in the league right now, Luke Kuechly, I call Luke Kuechly 'the white Ray Lewis.' I said it myself, Jaylon Smith is gonna be the next 'black Luke Kuechly.' That's what we just got, you understand what I'm saying? ... This dude is bad, for real. This dude would've been a top-five pick also, had he not been hurt."

On the Cowboys passing up Myles Jack to draft Smith:


"I read everything, so I read, 'Why not Myles Jack?' Myles Jack was a running back playing linebacker. This dude, he was born to play linebacker. He got the right people, man. I'm telling you, man. I was so happy with Jerry."

More on Elliott and Smith, like how they could elevate the play of the rest of the team:


"He just picked up possibly what I would consider to be two Hall of Famers. And here again, here again, let me just say this, let me just say this: When people know they're playing with guys like this, it makes them play a different kind of way. When played wide receiver, man, when I knew I had Steve Pelluer back there, it made me doubt me. When I got Kevin Sweeney back there, it makes me doubt me, you know? But when I got Troy Aikman? Dude, you can't do nothing with me. Don't even try. With that offensive line, lined up with Darren McFadden and all of that, there's something there. ... When they line up with Ezekiel Elliott -- c'mon, man, stop messing around. [laughter] C'mon, man, stop messing around."
 

dbair1967

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“He just leaps off the screen,” Marinelli said of Smith. “He is really good. He is really athletic in space, great hands, great tackler, great blitzer. He is just a real ballplayer. He fits anybody, but in our system with the way we will use him, he will be pretty special.”
There is a giant ‘if’ with Smith because of his injured knee, but if the nerve regenerates the first plan is to use him at middle linebacker. Rolando McClain has been the starter there the last two seasons but is set to be a free agent in 2017.


“We see him as a natural [middle linebacker], but he also has a physical ability to play [weakside linebacker],” coach Jason Garrett said. “He just has some great traits. He’s a big guy. He’s 240-plus pounds. He’s long. He’s quick. He’s fast. He’s instinctive. He’s a great tackler. He’s physical. He makes plays on the ball. We don’t see that he has limitations at either of those spots. I think he’d be very natural at either one of them, and has the traits to do it.”
 
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Anyone else think in 4 years Myles Jack will be a serviceable LB at worst and Jayson Smith will be retired?
 

onlyonenow

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On sirius NFL this evening Gil Brandt said he talked to the Boys today and they are very optimistic he will fully recover; he hints that Cooper was very detailed in how the recovery would go if full use was in the process and so far it is.
 

bbgun

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I was impressed when he wasn't limping at that bowling alley on draft day
 

dbair1967

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Jerry said today they wont put him on IR (assuming this means he will stay on NFI) and they are holding out hope he could be available for late in season and playoffs.
 
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of course they are

Yep. Might as well keep repeating the same mistakes over and over again. Jerry handicapped his own roster by not putting Romo on IR so he could free up a roster spot for possible help in 2015. Also wasted a roster spot keeping two kickers a few years back (who the fuck does stupid shit like that?), so lets waste one again this year and give every other team in the league an advantage over us. Hey, I mean, it's only a roster spot on an NFL team. Those things are a dime a dozen anyways.
 
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