NFL Draft: Dallas Cowboys draft Jaylon Smith in second round
Former Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker Jaylon Smith was taken in the second round in the NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys.
You can’t help but feel for former Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith who saw his bright NFL future dimmed after suffering a devastating knee injury in the Fiesta Bowl loss to Ohio State.
Smith tore ligaments in the knee and there are concerns over nerve damage which made his NFL Draft stock one of the bigger mysteries in recent years. He was arguably the best prospect in the draft before the injury and a likely top-five pick at worst.
He still may have been a first round pick despite the injury, but that dream was dashed when reports circulated that Smith is likely to miss the entire 2016 season as he recovers and his future beyond that is unknown.
With the 3rd pick in the 2nd round, the Cowboys select LB Jaylon Smith. #DALpick pic.twitter.com/mQ0bcrWbeJ
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) April 29, 2016
Smith may never be the same player he was and that gave teams plenty of reasons to pause when it came to taking him in the first round. He slid out of the first but the Dallas Cowboys made sure he didn’t have to wait long when the second day kicked off.
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The Cowboys took the Butkus Award winner with the No. 34 pick and you have to credit Jerry Jones and the entire organization for pulling the trigger on this type of investment.
It’s easy to root for Smith after seeing the injury he suffered and hopefully, the Notre Dame star linebacker will be able to recapture the form he showed during his brilliant college career.