As Jaylon Smith was carted off the field at University of Phoenix Stadium back on New Year’s Day of 2016, many wondered if he would ever be able to play professionally. You could make the argument that he is the poster boy for why a college player with a guaranteed future in the NFL would want to skip a bowl game.
Fast-forward nearly two years, and the former Irish linebacker is the centerpiece of one of the NFL’s best defenses, playing for the most valuable sports franchise on the planet.
Through the first 13 games of the 2018 season, Smith has logged 96 tackles, four sacks and forced two fumbles.