Jaylon Smith suffered a torn left ACL, MCL and possible nerve damage in his knee during Notre Dame's loss to Ohio State. While it's damaging enough to keep him off the field in 2016, it won't stop him from collecting a paycheck.
At least, not according to Greg Gabriel. The former director of college scouting for the Bears believes an NFL team will draft Smith one way or another. There's no future for him at Notre Dame.
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"He's going to get paid to rehab," Gabriel said, per the Chicago Tribune. "Why would he go back to Notre Dame? "Anyone who thinks [Smith going back to Notre Dame] is going to happen is fooling themselves."
Drafting a college prospect just to watch him rehab isn't the most enticing investment, but Gabriel doesn't expect it to be a hefty one for future employers.
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"Could he [be a first-round pick]? Yeah. Will he? I doubt it," Gabriel added. "I'll be totally shocked if he goes in the first round. The injury happening this late, he's not playing next year."
One could easily point to Todd Gurley -- who was drafted by the Rams 10th overall after tearing his ACL in 2014 -- but even he had a two-month head start on Smith. Gurley also benefited from tearing just one ligament in his knee, not two.
It's not all doom and gloom for Smith, though. One national scout for an NFL team said the Notre Dame LB has gone from being a top-10 pick to somewhere lower in the first round.
Good news for that insurance policy.
Sources say Jaylon Smith financed the $50,000 insurance premium to pay for a $5M loss of value policy if he slipped the 2016 Draft
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) January 2, 2016
Even better news for a team like the Chiefs, who will look for ILB help in the 2016 NFL Draft, per NFL.com.
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Jaylon Smith injury could drop him into late 1st rd. Would be lucky for ILB-needy teams like #Chiefs pic.twitter.com/xyGud3CIVS
— Ryan Tracy (@RyanTracyNFL) January 1, 2016
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