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Jaylon Smith Gets Nothing Out of Recheck

By Carl Cockerham

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
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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If not for a catastrophic knee injury in the Fiesta Bowl, Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith would be in the conversation for best overall prospect in the 2016 NFL Draft. But the injury did happen and when he did his medicals at the NFL Scouting Combine, it was revealed that he was unlikely to play in 2016.

He was just seven weeks into his rehabilitation so no one wanted to jump the gun on him until his recheck Friday. And unfortunately for Smith, that recheck didn’t change anything for him. According to NFL Media insider Ian Rapoport, the exam came out much the same as it was at the combine.

The injury is and ACL and LCL tear including nerve damage that changed the why he walks. Smith has said doctors told him he will fully recover eventually, but it is hard for them to say when. And from the recheck, it won’t be in time to play this year so NFL teams will be reluctant to invest a high draft choice on him.

This situation reminds me a lot of former South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore’s situation prior to the 2013 draft. He had multiple ligament tears that also included nerve damage too. And Lattimore took a redshirt year but never made it unto a football field for game action.

So while Smith is staying position amongst all this, the situation he’s in right now is scary. I’m absolutely sick for him because he’s a good kid that would be the future of the NFL if healthy. I hope someone takes a chance on him in the middle rounds somewhere and he can somehow find his way back.

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