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Notre Dame football: 3 most impactful defensive players of the Brian Kelly era

By Daniel Morrison

SOUTH BEND, IN - SEPTEMBER 5: Jaylon Smith #9 and KeiVarae Russell #6 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish celebrate during a game against the Texas Longhorns at Notre Dame Stadium on September 5, 2015 in South Bend, Indiana. Notre Dame defeated Texas 38-3. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
SOUTH BEND, IN - SEPTEMBER 5: Jaylon Smith #9 and KeiVarae Russell #6 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish celebrate during a game against the Texas Longhorns at Notre Dame Stadium on September 5, 2015 in South Bend, Indiana. Notre Dame defeated Texas 38-3. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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Jaylon Smith was an all-time linebacker for the Notre Dame football program. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

No. 2 Jaylon Smith

Now making a name for himself in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys, Jaylon Smith had one of the best careers for a Notre Dame linebacker. Unfortunately, that amazing career has been overshadowed by the horrible knee injury that he suffered in the 2016 Fiesta Bowl.

That injury, a torn LCL and ACL, knocked him out of the first round of the NFL Draft.

Smith is one of the best pure athletes to ever play at Notre Dame, regardless of position or era. He was listed at 6-foot-2inches tall and weighed 248lbs., all the while running a 4.41 40-yard dash, which is the type of speed you’d expect to see for a wide receiver.

As a comparable, Leonard Floyd was the first linebacker taken in the 2016 NFL Draft where Smith went in the second round, and his 40 time was 4.6. Smith is a freak athlete who can rush the passer, cover wide receivers or tight ends, and is confident against the run.

At Notre Dame, Smith started at outside linebacker as a freshman, where he made a name for himself as a great all-around player. He’d later be moved inside, where he’d notch over 100 tackles in both his sophomore and junior seasons.

He decided to skip his senior season to go to the NFL instead.

An undisputed five-star recruit, Smith came from Indiana and was a must-get for Kelly. Luckily, the Irish got him to stay home. During his time at Notre Dame, which last three seasons as a starting linebacker, Jaylon Smith had 284 tackles, 23.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, an interception, 10 pass break ups, and 3 forced fumbles.

Smith also won the Butkus Award, was an All-American in 2015, second-team All-American in 2014, and was a two-time All-Independent while at Notre Dame.

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