Top draft prospect Jaylon Smith having ACL/MCL surgery

Sources tell 21Alive that Smith tore both the ACL and LCL in his knee during the first quarter of the Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Day; and that the surgery to fix those ligaments went well.

Oklahoma State defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah has declared for the 2016 NFL Draft, and Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith has yet to make a decision regarding the draft and is reportedly undergoing reconstructive knee surgery this Thursday.

And while most unconfirmed reports still have Smith declaring for the draft and earning a paycheck during his extensive rehab, this huge financial loss is good reason for Notre Dame’s best player in the last 30 years to come back to school, earn his degree (as he promised he would when he committed to play here) and re-establish himself as a top-five pick on the 2017 draft board.

Over the weekend, Eric Hansen of the South Bend Tribune tackled the same question, talking to NFL Draft analyst Scott Wright about an injury that-even if Smith slides from a Top 5 pick to the 15th overall slot-could be as much as a $15 million hit. Senior left tackle Ronnie Stanley, senior running back C.J. That’s not a herculean ask to be back on the field and ready to play with today’s medical advancements, but Smith would still be working his way back and doing his recovering on the field, evaluated by National Football League scouts who’ll see a linebacker likely wearing a large knee brace.

The worst fears are coming true for Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith. Since Smith hurt his knee in his last collegiate game, his timetable for return will be delayed. On Tuesday, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen shed some light on just how significant Smith’s injury was.

Underclassmen have until a January 18 deadline to apply for early draft eligibility.

As of now, all things are going in the right direction for Smith in the road to recovery.