One of the most talented players in the 2016 NFL Draft is off of the board, as the Dallas Cowboys have selected Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith with their second round pick.
Welcome to Dallas @thejaylonsmith #CowboysDraft pic.twitter.com/HW9tyXW2CT
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) April 29, 2016
Smith is, of course, a tremendous gamble. Despite his immense talent, he suffered a serious knee injury in the 2016 Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State. The injury will almost certainly cost Smith the 2016 NFL season and could potentially linger for longer than that.
In the weeks leading up to the draft, Smith posted a video of himself performing drills, showing that his knee might not be such a long term issue.
God is taking care of that nerve!Great resistant running! New #ClearEyeView shirts available tonight starting @ 8pm! pic.twitter.com/8hMlN83tM6
— Jaylon Smith (@thejaylonsmith) April 18, 2016
The 6-foot-3, 229 pound linebacker was a statistical monster for the last two years at Notre Dame. As a sophomore in 2014, he racked up 111 tackles, nine tackles for a loss, and 3.5 sacks. In 2015’s junior season, Smith compiled 115 tackles, nine for a loss, and also notched one quarterback sack.