Dallas Cowboys

Jaylon Smith getting healthy for Dallas Cowboys in 2017

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 12:48 a.m. ET

Fansided, Sayre Bedinger/FanSided via NFL Mocks

Dallas Cowboys rookie linebacker Jaylon Smith gives an update to his health status and believes he could have played at a high level in the playoffs…

The 2016 NFL Draft was very kind to the Dallas Cowboys, providing instant MVP candidates in Ezekiel Elliott and Dak Prescott, but it’s possible Jaylon Smith is the best player they drafted in 2016.

That seems like a pretty bold thing to say after what we’ve seen from Elliott and Prescott in their rookie seasons, leading the Cowboys to the best record in the NFC as one of the most exciting backfield duos in the NFL.

Jaylon Smith was a second round pick out of Notre Dame who was expected to be a sure-fire top five selection. Had he been fully healthy, he would have been a value at the Cowboys’ fourth overall pick. That’s not normal for a non-edge rushing linebacker, but Smith has all the tools to be an elite player. The problem? He suffered a career-threatening injury in his final game with Notre Dame, and has since been in recovery.

He was able to do more than anyone imagined over the course of the offseason and through his draft preparations, at Cowboys camp, but they didn’t risk anything for his potential future with the team by activating him off of injured reserve this year. According to Smith, that could have actually been on the table:

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This is phenomenal news for the Cowboys, for Smith, but for football fans. This is a special player that appeared to have suffered the same fate of Marcus Lattimore, who was an exciting running back prospect that suffered an horrific knee injury, and never was able to play football again.

It appears that Smith is on such a positive trajectory, we could see some action from him at Cowboys OTAs and certainly at training camp in 2017.

If he’s anywhere near full health, it will be a tremendous boost to a Dallas defense that has overachieved in 2016. Smith’s complete overall game reminded many of Patrick Willis while he was at Notre Dame, and is obviously the reason why Jerry Jones took him high in the second round despite his injury and the lack of clarity for his future.

Smith is working with some of the best medical professionals in the NFL with the Cowboys’ organization. Dr. Daniel Cooper — the Cowboys’ team doctor — performed Smith’s knee surgery last January.

Now a year removed from his surgery, Smith gives one of the best updates we could have possibly expected.