NFL Draft: Jaylon Smith expected to miss 2016 NFL season
Former Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker Jaylon Smith is expected to miss the 2016 NFL season and his future beyond that is in question.
Notre Dame outside linebacker Jaylon Smith was one of the best players in college football last year. The junior linebacker was the Butkus Award winner and a potential top-five NFL Draft pick.
Then, Smith tore up his knee in the Fiesta Bowl loss to Ohio State and his once bright professional career was met with questions about possible nerve damage and if he’d ever be the same player again.
His NFL Draft status is unknown but whoever does pick Smith isn’t expected to see him play as a rookie in 2016, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter who confirmed what had been suspected.
After medical rechecks, Notre Dame's Jaylon Smith is not expected to play in 2016 and teams are unsure when he will play again, per sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 18, 2016
At the NFL Scouting Combine in February, Smith’s injury was described as “bad” according to NFL Media’s Mike Mayock and Yahoo! Sports reported three teams had already removed him from their draft boards. Smith has a loss-of-value insurance policy he can claim if he falls past a certain point in the draft.
Smith was once a virtual lock to be a top-five pick and that may have been conservative but it’s looking unlikely he’ll even be a first round pick. Schefter doesn’t clarify how many teams are unsure when he will play again. It could be three or four teams who are unsure, which only means Smith is out indefinitely and 28 or 29 other teams aren’t as concerned.
It only takes one doctor from one team to believe Smith will be able to make a full recovery and return to the type of prospect he was prior to the injury. I wouldn’t be on Smith being a first round pick, but I wouldn’t doubt Smith makes a recovery and can get back on the football field in 2017.
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Smith wrote his story in a tremendous piece on Bleacher Report and says he’s the best player in the NFL Draft. When healthy, it’s hard to disagree with that statement.
Unfortunately, his injury has provided more questions than answers, which is sad for a player who had no questions about his play prior to the injury.