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Dallas Cowboys LB Jaylon Smith not showing improvement in injured nerve

By The Sports Xchange
Jaylon Smith. (Instagram)
Jaylon Smith. (Instagram)

Dallas Cowboys rookie linebacker Jaylon Smith is reportedly showing no significant improvement in his injured nerve.

According to ESPN's Ed Werder, it remains unlikely that the Cowboys' second-round pick (No. 34 overall) in the 2016 NFL Draft will play this season.

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Smith suffered a devastating knee injury during his final college game at Notre Dame. Smith tore his ACL and LCL during the Jan. 1 Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State. The injuries created nerve damage in his knee and ankle. Prior to the injury, Smith was viewed as a top-10 pick.

The Cowboys' team doctor performed surgery on Smith's knee and is confident he will make a full recovery.

The 6-foot-2, 223-pound Smith signed a four-year contract, receiving a $2.9 million signing bonus as part of the $6.494 million deal based on the NFL's slotting system for rookies.

Smith, who turned 21 in June, led Notre Dame with 113 tackles last season and won the Butkus Award as the nation's best linebacker. He also had nine tackles for loss and five pass breakups.

Even though Smith is likely to miss this season, owner and general manager Jerry Jones has said the Cowboys would not place him on injured reserve in hopes he could return by the end of the year.

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