Jaylon Smith Change of Direction Analysis

[visionary]

When you watch the video notice how little he lifts his foot off the ground

That is because of the foot drop

 

[InDakWeTrust]

My wife's family are BIG notre dame fans. They also watched Jaylon play in high school. From all I can gather and I believe the Cowboys came to the same conclusion, this guy is a generational type player. Athletically, intellectually, and his hard work and deternination put him on another level from others. --imo.

I guess we'll see soon enough.

The one thing that stuck with me after we drafted him were several talking heads and possibly JJ or JG/RM saying Jaylon has that Michael Jordan type work that elevates him above everyone else.

 

[Broges74]

I wouldn't put it past him to play at an NFL average level with the drop foot but in order to reach his gaudy potential, he will need that nerve.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Yeah, I wouldn't mind hearing a doctor's opinion on the video. He does seem to be moving well but if he's still wearing the brace (which I think he is), then the nerve hasn't completely healed up yet... meaning he's not 100%.

He looks good enough to play with the brace but the reality is, we really don't know how well he'd play with the brace if he still hasn't reached 100% by the start of the season. I certainly think he can run and hit as is. The problem would be taking on blocks and trying to get off blocks (IMO).

I also think he might have some problems with rushing the QB with the sharp cuts he'd have to make like when an edge rusher has to flatten to the QB. I think he'd be better off playing Mike and blitzing through the A gap where he'd just have a pretty straight shot to the QB and will probably just have to run through a RB or TE to get home.

That is pure speculation on my part, and I'm no doctor... but it just seems like he'd need to be kept pretty clean and just run to the ball unless he's back to normal.

Make no mistake though... this guy is super, super athletic and can do things normal guys can't. His athleticism is just unreal.

Just my two cents.

EDIT: And I agree about the people who want to complain about this conversation. Just don't take part if you don't want to discuss it.

His calf muscle works fine. It's the peroneal that is at issue.

 

[CowboyStar88]

Man it sure is awesome knowing everyone has their PhD's. If it wasn't from this team of Doctors here on this board, I wouldn't know anything. So glad you guys have all the answers, and know what the coaches, and JS doctors are thinking.


On a serious note:
I thought he said before he is slowly getting sensation everyday?

 

[MichaelWinicki]

On a serious note:
I thought he said before he is slowly getting sensation everyday?

No... That was Brainpaint.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Man it sure is awesome knowing everyone has their PhD's. If it wasn't from this team of Doctors here on this board, I wouldn't know anything. So glad you guys have all the answers, and know what the coaches, and JS doctors are thinking.


On a serious note:
I thought he said before he is slowly getting sensation everyday?

Man, I am sure glad you are here to put people who are not coaches and doctors in their place with dead panned sarcasm.

We are not discussing surgical techniques, biochemistry, or experience with previous patients. It should not take a doctor to understand what the peroneal nerve does or have a rudimentary discussion about his recovery.

Protip: doctors, nurses, PAs, and the like do not get PhD's for their licenses.

 

[reddyuta]

I think it is not smart to assume he will automatically be a stellar LB in NFL if he heals up.
Even had he not been injured , he might not be as good as some would think, or he might be.
It takes more than just physical talent to be a great NFL LB ??

I will wait and see how he plays whenever he does get on the field.
Drafting him was a gamble, and time consuming, they should have got another defensive guy who
could have helped in the GB game lol you know this year.

This guy may never heal up 100%, and may not be able to be any good at all until 2018 season.
If they got him in round 6 or 7 it would be ok, but not in higher rounds.

Would you buy a racehorse that was limping for millions??
The owner says well he has a torn nerve, just needs to heal up lol.

I think he is better than Rueben foster who will probably go top 5 this draft,i do agree that we FO should not assume he will be back healthy and actually playing well.

 

[Direwolf63]

He's made a lot of progress. It's only February. He will make more progress by May. Even more by July. And even more by September.

Hopefully with another 7 months, the brace will be gone and he can become the player we all hope he can be. If he still has the brace by opening day, he will have it his entire career. And the ceiling in that case is that he is an average player who can contribute here and there.

Another concern: opponents will go after that knee when he is playing. He will need to be ready for that.

 

[gmoney112]

His calf muscle works fine. It's the peroneal that is at issue.

Yeah, I've been reading on it. I'm not sure why he said calf muscle, I had asked him before why Jaylon couldn't play with a brace and he explained the calf muscle thing. Maybe that was the context. He also explained it to me like I was complete idiot, because I don't know anything about it. Anyways, I asked him for clarification. He'll get back to me sometime today.

Edit: Already got back to me. Gotta love Fbook messenger. Said he was just talking about brace. Doesn't let him use calf muscle to full extent.

Carry on.

Man it sure is awesome knowing everyone has their PhD's. If it wasn't from this team of Doctors here on this board, I wouldn't know anything. So glad you guys have all the answers, and know what the coaches, and JS doctors are thinking.


On a serious note:
I thought he said before he is slowly getting sensation everyday?

Haha you'd be surprised. There's another forum I frequent, not a Cowboys forum. Has MIT grads, Harvard grads, a doctor working at an ivy, some MBA's, entrepreneurs, some semi pro Poker players, slackers who drunk post to everyone's amusement.

If there's one good thing about the internet, besides the wealth of knowledge, it's how easy it is to form and interact in communities with all kinds of people. You never know man.

 

[xwalker]

This thread is created to discuss the recent twitter video recently posted. It shows Jaylon running a drill which shows his change of direction.

This video, together with his sprint video also posted recently are a good sign. He does not appear to have any real limitations but according to the article posting the video things are alleged to still not be 100 percent.

To the doctors on this forum, what is your analysis of this video. To those of you who want to complain about discussing this issue do us all a favor and don't post here to complain about this discussion. Go ***** about it in the rant zone.

Is there a new video? Most people think that video of him running cone drills was from training camp.

 

[CowboyStar88]

Man, I am sure glad you are here to put people who are not coaches and doctors in their place with dead panned sarcasm.

We are not discussing surgical techniques, biochemistry, or experience with previous patients. It should not take a doctor to understand what the peroneal nerve does or have a rudimentary discussion about his recovery.

Protip: doctors, nurses, PAs, and the like do not get PhD's for their licenses.

Fuzzy, my sarcasm is towards those who have predicted doom and gloom acting like know it alls.

 

[phildadon86]

Yeah but would you before he won any big races??
Jaylon is totally unproved in the NFL, many college stars dont do as good in NFL.
That is my point, he has to prove or show he can be a star in NFL, while at same time recover from his injury, and not playing
for now a year, maybe longer.
In the NFL he will be facing far superior talent to what he faced in college, where he was superior to the guys he faced.
First he has to heal up, or will they play him with a brace?
Then he has to get in top condition, which I know he is working on that even now.
Then he has to adjust to NFL and get used to a faster more complex game.
Then maybe he becomes a star, but it will take time, I dont think he can be a instant impact player.

Bad comparison. Literally everything you just said proves my point on Secretariat. His breeding rights were bought before he made the jump to the big leagues, and he became a Triple Crown Champion. Im not saying Jaylon Smith is going to be the Secretariat of football because that would make him the best LB to play the game ever, im just saying, if the talent is there, you are damn right you invest even if there is a minute chance they can become Elite. If Jaylon becomes what he was in college for Dallas, we have a top 5 pick in this years draft.

 

[waldoputty]

Yeah, I've been reading on it. I'm not sure why he said calf muscle, I had asked him before why Jaylon couldn't play with a brace and he explained the calf muscle thing. Maybe that was the context. He also explained it to me like I was complete idiot, because I don't know anything about it. Anyways, I asked him for clarification. He'll get back to me sometime today.

Edit: Already got back to me. Gotta love Fbook messenger. Said he was just talking about brace. Doesn't let him use calf muscle to full extent.

Carry on.



Haha you'd be surprised. There's another forum I frequent, not a Cowboys forum. Has MIT grads, Harvard grads, a doctor working at an ivy, some MBA's, entrepreneurs, some semi pro Poker players, slackers who drunk post to everyone's amusement.

If there's one good thing about the internet, besides the wealth of knowledge, it's how easy it is to form and interact in communities with all kinds of people. You never know man.

small world, which forum is that?
lol did u spent time in cambridge?
one of my college buddies retired early and write poker training apps for the iphone lol

curious why ur friend thinks the brace constraints his calf
a lot of those brace seem pretty low by the ankle...
the thing that gets me is if jaylon is really running a 4.4/4.5, then how much constraining can there be?

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

small world, which forum is that?
lol did u spent time in cambridge?
one of my college buddies retired early and write poker training apps for the iphone lol

curious why ur friend thinks the brace constraints his calf
a lot of those brace seem pretty low by the ankle...
the thing that gets me is if jaylon is really running a 4.4/4.5, then how much constraining can there be?

The brace inhibits range of motion.

 

[tyke1doe]

I think I read somewhere where Jaylon himself said the nerves were firing.
Anyway, if he's doing drills with forward and lateral movement, that's an encouraging sign. I'm not a doctor, though. I just like what I see. And if Jaylon says he's getting better, that's good enough for me. He knows better than anyone if his nerve is firing.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

When you watch the video notice how little he lifts his foot off the ground

That is because of the foot drop

I'm actually looking at the video and it is hard to tell. Both feet look the same to me.

 

[CowboyStar88]

Yeah, I've been reading on it. I'm not sure why he said calf muscle, I had asked him before why Jaylon couldn't play with a brace and he explained the calf muscle thing. Maybe that was the context. He also explained it to me like I was complete idiot, because I don't know anything about it. Anyways, I asked him for clarification. He'll get back to me sometime today.

Edit: Already got back to me. Gotta love Fbook messenger. Said he was just talking about brace. Doesn't let him use calf muscle to full extent.

Carry on.



Haha you'd be surprised. There's another forum I frequent, not a Cowboys forum. Has MIT grads, Harvard grads, a doctor working at an ivy, some MBA's, entrepreneurs, some semi pro Poker players, slackers who drunk post to everyone's amusement.

If there's one good thing about the internet, besides the wealth of knowledge, it's how easy it is to form and interact in communities with all kinds of people. You never know man.

My sarcasm was based on the doom and gloom know it alls with zero facts or evidence to support their whiny claims.

 

[gmoney112]

small world, which forum is that?
lol did u spent time in cambridge?
one of my college buddies retired early and write poker training apps for the iphone lol

curious why ur friend thinks the brace constraints his calf
a lot of those brace seem pretty low by the ankle...
the thing that gets me is if jaylon is really running a 4.4/4.5, then how much constraining can there be?

Haha, can't give it out man, sorry. It's a pretty tight knit group. Been a part of it for almost 15 years now. Crazy.

Nope, I've never been to Cambridge. I'm a TX guy.

Like Fuzzy said, it's a range of motion kinda thing. I'm guessing the 40 time is just not a good indicator. Just doesn't really tell you what's going to happen when he's wearing full pads and having to burst forward, that's the only way you'll really know. Hopefully he won't need the brace at all. He looks good though

 

[dallasfan4lizife]

Is he regaining any feeling or control in his foot?

If he still can't lift his fit whatsoever after this long, it seems rational to think he will never fully recover from his drop foot.