Face Four – OLB Jaylon Smith
Jaylon Smith was graded as the nation’s second-best recruit in 2013 by 247Sports, trailing only Robert Nkemdiche of Ole Miss.
Smith got on the field early as star talents tend to do, playing in 12 of Notre Dame’s 13 games in 2013 and recording 5.5 tackles for loss.
Smith really came on in 2014, recording a team-high 111 tackles, nine of which were for loss, on a team that started 6-0 before stumbling down the stretch to an 8-5 finish.
Smith went from very good to megastar in 2015 though, leading Notre Dame in tackles with 115 and being named the Butkus Award Winner as the nation’s top linebacker.
Much of the discussion with Smith’s time at Notre Dame involves wondering if he was used properly. Defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder often appeared overmatched in his two-and-a-half seasons leading Notre Dame’s defense.
Smith and Notre Dame came within one stop of a likely College Football Playoff appearance in 2015 but settled for a trip to the Fiesta Bowl instead where what Smith is most remembered for nationally, occurred.
Smith tore up his knee against Ohio State and fell from being a likely first-round NFL draft pick to the second round where the Dallas Cowboys picked him in the spring of 2016.
Smith debuted for Dallas a year later and has started 59 games for Dallas since 2017. He also hit it big financially, earning a five-year, $64 million contract extension in August of 2019.