Oakland Raiders Shouldn't Count Jaylon Smith Out

Oakland Raiders Shouldn’t Count Jaylon Smith Out

Jan 1, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker Jaylon Smith (9) cries as he is carted off the field after suffering an injury un the first quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the 2016 Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

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The Oakland Raiders should draft Jaylon Smith!

Until he suffered multiple ligament tears in the Fiesta Bowl, Smith was a Top-5 draft prospect. After the rookie year, Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley had in 2015, many still thought Smith would go in the the first round. But his medical check and recheck revealed that he has nerve damage in his knee, damaging those hopes.

Comparisons went from Gurley to former San Francisco 49ers running back Marcus Lattimore. Lattimore was taken in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL Draft, never played a down in the NFL, and is already out of football. The star linebacker knows he will likely red-shirt his rookie season but is a different person with a different situation that Lattimore.

So the Raiders should take him.

Turn the page to see why.

Next: Way ahead of Lattimore

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