Advertisement
football Edit

Jaylon Smith's Health Improving

Jaylon Smith (center) said he could have played at an "elite level" in the playoffs.
Jaylon Smith (center) said he could have played at an "elite level" in the playoffs. (USA Today Sports)

Don’t miss out on any of our exclusive football, basketball and recruiting coverage. Click here to get your 30-day free trial!

It appears Jaylon Smith’s fortunes are finally looking up.

According to Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News, the nerve in the former Notre Dame linebacker’s left leg has started to regenerate and it appears that the linebacker will be back participating in offseason drills with the Cowboys.

"Yeah, it's regenerating," Smith told the Dallas Morning News of his nerve in his left leg. "It's just a thing that you have to have patience. I'm going to continue to do everything I'm asked and controlling what I can control and we're going to take our time with it.”

He also said he could have played at an “elite level” in the playoffs. The Cowboys, the NFC’s top seed, have a first-round bye.

Smith suffered a devastating knee injury in last year’s Fiesta Bowl loss to Ohio State. He had surgery to reconstruct his left ACL. During Smith’s recovery he also dealt with a drop foot condition that has required him to wear a brace.

He was put on injured reserve last month. Smith told reporters that he recently ran a 4.5-second 40-yard dash, a sign that the speed has returned to the linebacker.

"He's made tremendous progress," Cowboys coach Jason Garrett told reporters Thursday. "It doesn't surprise us one bit."

----

Talk about it inside Rockne’s Roundtable

Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes

• Learn more about our print and digital publication, Blue & Gold Illustrated.

• Follow us on Twitter: @BGINews, @BGI_LouSomogyi, @BGI_CoachD,

@BGI_MattJones, @BGI_DMcKinney and @BGI_CoreyBodden.

• Like us on Facebook.

Advertisement