Jaylon Smith

When Jaylon Smith was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in 2016, he was already a star in his own right. The Notre Dame linebacker had been a consensus All-American, named the Butkus Award winner, and was projected to be a top-five pick in the draft. However, a devastating injury suffered in his final college game threatened to derail his promising .

But Jaylon Smith is not the type of person to let setbacks get in the way of his dreams. Since he was a young boy, he had dreamed of playing in the NFL, and nothing was going to stop him from achieving that goal.

Smith was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1995, the second of three children. His father, Roger, was a high school smith” title=”Will Smith”>smith” title=”Will Smith”>football coach, and Jaylon grew up around the game. He was a standout player in high school, earning All-State honors and becoming one of the most highly recruited linebackers in the country.

At Notre Dame, Smith was a force to be reckoned with. He led the team in tackles as a freshman, and by his sophomore year, he was a top NFL prospect. However, in his final game for the Fighting Irish, the 2016 Fiesta Bowl, disaster struck. Smith suffered a severe knee injury that left him with nerve damage and a dropped foot, putting his football future in doubt.

Despite the injury, the Dallas Cowboys took a chance on Smith, selecting him in the second round of the 2016 draft. It was a risky move, as many experts believed Smith would never play again. However, the Cowboys were impressed not just by Smith’s football talent, but also his character and determination.

Smith spent his entire rookie season on the sideline, rehabbing his knee and trying to regain his strength and mobility. In 2017, he was able to return to the field, playing in all 16 games and recording 81 tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble. He was named the Cowboys’ Rookie of the Year and showed that he still had the talent to be a star in the league.

But Smith’s journey wasn’t over yet. In 2018, he made even more progress, cementing his place as one of the NFL’s top linebackers. He recorded 121 tackles, four sacks, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries, earning a Pro Bowl selection and Second-Team All-Pro honors.

Off the field, Smith is just as impressive. He started the Jaylon Smith Minority Entrepreneurship Institute, which provides resources and support to minority entrepreneurs in the Dallas area. He also founded the Clear Eye View Foundation, which focuses on helping kids overcome adversity and achieve their dreams.

Through all of his successes and challenges, Jaylon Smith has remained humble and focused. He never lost sight of his goal to play in the NFL and to be one of the best players in the league. And he has been an inspiration to countless fans and aspiring athletes who face their own obstacles and setbacks.

As Smith once said, “I’ve always been a dream-chaser. That’s something that my father instilled in me at a young age. But it’s also something that I’ve been able to do because of my faith. I trust in God’s plan for me, and I know that whatever obstacles come my way, I can overcome them with hard work, determination, and the support of my family and friends.”

Jaylon Smith’s story is proof that anything is possible if you have the courage to pursue your dreams and the resilience to overcome setbacks. He is a true inspiration and a shining example of filmography” title=”Will Smith filmography”>cause-of-jaylon-fergusons-death” title=”What Was the Cause of Jaylon Fergusons Death”>jaylon-fergusons-death” title=”What Was the Cause of Jaylon Fergusons Death”>what it means to be a champion on and off the field.