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That didn’t stop former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin from predicting big things for the incoming rookie.
Irvin appeared on KRLD-FM 105.3 in Dallas, a CBS Sports Radio affiliate, and suggested Smith would eventually be in the Hall of Fame, via Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports. Irvin also compared the former Notre Dame linebacker to one of the best defensive playmakers in the NFL:
I kept his [draft] card; I got the card right here next to me. ... I'ma hold on to this card, and when I see this kid in Canton, Ohio, I'm going to have him sign it for me.
…I know he has adversity in front of him, but I know the kind of dude he is. He'll come back. ... The baddest man in the league right now, the baddest linebacker in the league right now, Luke Kuechly, I call [Kuechly] 'the white Ray Lewis.' I said it myself, [Smith] is gonna be the next 'black [Kuechly].' That's what we just got, you understand what I'm saying? ... This dude is bad, for real. This dude would've been a top-five pick also, had he not been hurt.
Irvin may be right about Smith’s status as a possible top-five pick if healthy, but he suffered his knee injury during Notre Dame’s Fiesta Bowl loss to Ohio State and required surgery. Tom Pelissero of USA Today said the consensus All-American will likely miss the 2016 season as the “peroneal nerve remains asleep.”
However, Peter Schrager of Fox Sports noted the Cowboys were uniquely qualified to judge Smith’s injury and recovery process among the 32 teams at the NFL draft:
Based on Smith’s on-field results, Irvin was justified in his enthusiasm. The former Notre Dame linebacker won the Butkus Award as the nation’s top player at his position and led his team in tackles in each of the last two seasons.
Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller said Smith had “Pro Bowl potential” and would have been his top-rated player at the 2016 draft without the injury. Even with the physical setback factored into the equation, Miller still ranked Smith as the second-best linebacker in the draft behind only UCLA’s Myles Jack (who the Jacksonville Jaguars selected).
Smith was able to lead Notre Dame in tackles because of his overwhelming athleticism and ability to pursue ball-carriers from sideline to sideline and in open space. He is also quick enough to be a factor in the pass rush off the edge and can drop back into coverage if asked.
While Irvin’s comments praising a Dallas draft pick can be taken with a grain of salt because he played 12 seasons with the Cowboys and reached the Hall of Fame, Smith has the talent to live up to the hype.
Even with that talent, it is still a bit soon to compare him to Kuechly, considering the Carolina Panthers star is a three-time Pro Bowler and three-time member of the First-Team All-Pro. The defensive force was also the 2012 Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year and 2013 Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year and helped lead the Panthers to last season’s Super Bowl.
In terms of his athleticism and tendency to chase ball-carriers across the field, Smith resembles much of what Kuechly does at his best. Those are just some serious shoes to fill before the rookie has even stepped on the field at the NFL level.
Read more Dallas Cowboys news on BleacherReport.com
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