On Jan. 1, there was likely no player that NFL coaches and general managers were drooling over more than Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith.
He was as big a blue-chip prospect as any getting ready for the 2016 draft. He was a lock for the top five picks. There was even growing sentiment that he would be the No. 1 overall pick.
Then tragedy struck.
Early in the Fiesta Bowl game between the Fighting Irish and Ohio State, the unthinkable happened. Smith suffered a gruesome injury, tearing both his left ACL and LCL – similar to the injury Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson suffered (MCL instead of LCL).