Notre Dame football: 10 best players to play in the NFL this past decade

Jaylon Smith was one of the most prolific linebackers to ever play for the Notre Dame football program. In his three years with the University, he was a two-time All-American (2014 and 2015) the Dick Butkus Award winner (2015) as the best college linebacker in America and had career totals of 292 total tackles, four and a half sacks, one interception, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries in 39 games with the Irish.

As a result, Smith was considered a consensus top-five pick for the 2016 NFL Draft, with most analysts projecting him to be the first player selected in the draft. However, during the 2015 Fiesta Bowl game against Ohio State University, Smith would suffer a horrific knee injury, tearing both his ACL and MCL and casting major doubt on his draft status and professional career.

Smith would decide to forgo his final year of eligibility and still enter the 2016 draft, with draft experts projecting him being selected anywhere from the third round to the sixth round due to concerns over potential nerve damage to his knee.

Ultimately, the Dallas Cowboys would surprisingly select Smith in the second round of the draft with the 34th overall selection. With Smith ruled out for at least the 2016 season to recover from the injury, many questioned the Cowboys logic for selecting Smith so high in the draft with so many concerns.

In the end, Smith would make the Cowboys look like geniuses by making a full return prior to the 2017 regular season. While Dallas wanted to keep Smith on a snap count to ease him back, the plan was discarded due to injuries to other Cowboys linebackers and Smith would end his rookie season with 81 total tackles, one sack, two pass deflections, and two forced fumbles.

In 2018, Smith would improve upon his stats from his inaugural campaign in the NFL, recording 121 total tackles, four sacks, four pass deflections, and two forced fumbles. As a result of his success, the Cowboys signed Smith to a five-year $64 million contract extension prior to the 2019 season.

Smith would reward Dallas for their confidence in him. In 2019, he would record a career-high 142 total tackles with two and a half sacks, nine pass deflections, one interception and two forced fumbles en route to his first Pro Bowl selection.

Since fully recovering from his horrific knee injury, Jaylon Smith has exhibited the persistence and determination to become one of the best middle linebackers in the NFL and was named as a team captain for the Cowboys last season.