Sturm: Jack vs Smith and Injury Eval

[Miller]

If this is posted elsewhere or deep within the Jaylon thread please move.

Great read

http://sportsday.***BANNED-URL***/d...-historic-decision-jaylon-smith-vs-myles-jack

Some players have returned from "drop foot." Others haven't.

Physicians from across the league were in Indianapolis April 15-16 to reexamine draft-eligible players. "Not good," said a high-placed official for an NFL team after receiving a report from the team doctor. "Best-case scenario is he plays in '17. It could be never.

"My guy said it hadn't changed. The question is, can it regenerate? They don't usually come back from this."

Another key executive in the decision-making process for a team was even more pessimistic following consultations with his medical staff. "He is (on our board), but he's close to a no-take just because he's not going to play this year and next year (2017) is about a 30% chance," he said. "He's in trouble.

 

[speedkilz88]

NFL linebacker Sean Spence knows exactly where Smith is coming from.

The recent free agent acquisition of the Tennessee Titans suffered an almost identical injury to Smith’s in the final game of the preseason his rookie year (2012) with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Torn ACL. Torn LCL. Nerve Damage. The difference for the third-round draft choice out of Miami (Fla.) was that the nerve specialist he spoke with told him there was a good chance he’d never play football again. And that’s he’d have to wear a special boot just to walk.

“Tell him to keep the faith,” Spence said of Smith. “Tell him to continue to trust God, because that’s the only person who can fix it for him. Man can’t do nothing for him. Put his trust in God, and everything will work out.

“Work hard. Do what he can do. Control what he can control, which is getting up and rehabbing every day. Making sure the knee is completely fine. Once his nerve comes back, he’s not going to notice it anymore.”

Spence cried. Many times, in the six months that it took before there was any sign that specialist was wrong.

It started with him being able to wiggle a toe. Then the next day he could wiggle another. Within a week the whole foot had sensation in it.

“Before that happened, I used to constantly try to pull my foot up,” Spence said, “even though I knew it wouldn’t move. I constantly tried to pull it every second of the day. Any time, any chance I made sure I pull my foot up.

“I used to slap the side of my leg, do anything to try to wake that nerve up. Eventually it worked out for me.”

And today, Spence says he’s physically as well off as he ever was. He missed only the 2012 rookie season because of the knee, but he sat out the 2013 season because of a broken finger, before putting together impressive seasons on the field in 2014 and 2015.

Spence said he has watched video of Smith’s injury many times. And he planned to watch the draft until Smith’s wait ended.

“I was in his shoes, and it was a bad place to be,” he said. “I just want to encourage him.”




Rest of article
http://www.ndinsider...89e17353cb.html

 

[Miller]

NFL linebacker Sean Spence knows exactly where Smith is coming from.

The recent free agent acquisition of the Tennessee Titans suffered an almost identical injury to Smith’s in the final game of the preseason his rookie year (2012) with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
l

Hope we get the same!

 

[erod]

Worth the risk, in my opinion.

Could get a superstar, or could get nothing. Usually for second-rounders, it's about either a solid starter or a bust.

 

[gimmesix]

Some of the information in the article makes me wonder why we didn't take Ragland instead with Jack and Smith's health questionable?

If Ragland was considered the best MLB candidate, it would seem he'd better fit our needs with Lee at WLB despite not being considered as good of a prospect overall as Jack/Smith.

 

[speedkilz88]

Some of the information in the article makes me wonder why we didn't take Ragland instead with Jack and Smith's health questionable?

If Ragland was considered the best MLB candidate, it would seem he'd better fit our needs with Lee at WLB despite not being considered as good of a prospect overall as Jack/Smith.

He's more 3-4 run plugger MLB, too slow for a Marinelli system, specifically when it comes to coverage. And I think Marinelli would be one who would argue that Jaylon is easily the best MLB prospect.

 

[Alexander]

Some of the information in the article makes me wonder why we didn't take Ragland instead with Jack and Smith's health questionable?

If Ragland was considered the best MLB candidate, it would seem he'd better fit our needs with Lee at WLB despite not being considered as good of a prospect overall as Jack/Smith.

My guess is ceiling versus risk/reward. Ragland looks like he will be your stock two down linebacker who cannot play in the nickel, either in coverage or as a rusher. So it just comes down to whether or not you valued that as his ceiling in terms of his career prospects.

And judging by our apparent lack of interest in him overall, we might just have not liked him very much. Looks like more than a few teams felt that way since he dropped without any medical or character concerns.

 

[Miller]

Some of the information in the article makes me wonder why we didn't take Ragland instead with Jack and Smith's health questionable?

If Ragland was considered the best MLB candidate, it would seem he'd better fit our needs with Lee at WLB despite not being considered as good of a prospect overall as Jack/Smith.

Was thinking the same when looking at draft and reading this but thought with Lee they may have wanted more speed as a guy who could rush and cover.

 

[gimmesix]

My guess is ceiling versus risk/reward. Ragland looks like he will be your stock two down linebacker who cannot play in the nickel, either in coverage or as a rusher. So it just comes down to whether or not you valued that as his ceiling in terms of his career prospects.

And judging by our apparent lack of interest in him overall, we might just have not liked him very much. Looks like more than a few teams felt that way since he dropped without any medical or character concerns.

I can agree with that. He apparently wasn't a first-round pick on any boards, so he apparently was overrated by the experts even though he was considered the top MLB in the class.

I do agree that his limitations might have kept him from being what Marinelli is looking for in a linebacker. The ability to drop back into zone coverage definitely plays a part.

 

[gimmesix]

Was thinking the same when looking at draft and reading this but thought with Lee they may have wanted more speed as a guy who could rush and cover.

Yes, I think that probably played a role.

 

[gimmesix]

He's more 3-4 run plugger MLB, too slow for a Marinelli system, specifically when it comes to coverage. And I think Marinelli would be one who would argue that Jaylon is easily the best MLB prospect.

I think for Marinelli's scheme Smith probably is the better MLB because of his movement skills. Plus, I'm not sure Dallas had more than a second-round grade on Ragland since he didn't go until then. Smith and Jack were both clear first-rounders who fell because of their injuries.

 

[TheCount]

Usually for second-rounders, it's about either a solid starter or a bust.

Think you're over generalizing there, unless you're talking specifically about the Cowboys.

As far as Smith being an OLB vs MLB, we just moved Lee out of MLB to protect him and get a bigger player in there (Rolando), it's hard to see Smith being a better MLB than Lee would be, and they both very well might need protection.

 

[Miller]

On another note regarding Jack v Jaylon, I just found it interesting how many evaluator probably wouldn't touch either due to fear of not many years in league or no years at all.

 

[speedkilz88]

Think you're over generalizing there, unless you're talking specifically about the Cowboys.

As far as Smith being an OLB vs MLB, we just moved Lee out of MLB to protect him and get a bigger player in there (Rolando), it's hard to see Smith being a better MLB than Lee would be, and they both very well might need protection.

Going from Hayden to Thornton should help the MLB out a lot.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Both players will be busts! See!

https://lh3.***BROKEN***/-0fuAkUfZCUI/Vy_VAATDDCI/AAAAAAAFAv4/Kig53Z7TF_kGTMhPtMNXr0Q5n-xbEBiAA/w346-h267/941542232.gif

 

[silver]

It looks more like the heir apparent to Lee at Will LB. He's viewed as the future Derrick Brooks type in the Tampa 2 IMO.

 

[CowboysLegend365]

He's more 3-4 run plugger MLB, too slow for a Marinelli system, specifically when it comes to coverage. And I think Marinelli would be one who would argue that Jaylon is easily the best MLB prospect.

I agree with all this but I have a small concern with getting guys for "a coaches system". Now don't get me wrong, Smith is a much better player to me if he can get healthy.

But we passed up on a lot of guys because they didn't fit "Wade's system" and then he was gone. When Marinelli is gone in 2-3 years I hope we will have selected the right guy, not the right guy for the CURRENT system.

 

[SHAMSzy]

Ragland seems like a poor mans RoMc

 

[morasp]

NFL linebacker Sean Spence knows exactly where Smith is coming from.

The recent free agent acquisition of the Tennessee Titans suffered an almost identical injury to Smith’s in the final game of the preseason his rookie year (2012) with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Torn ACL. Torn LCL. Nerve Damage. The difference for the third-round draft choice out of Miami (Fla.) was that the nerve specialist he spoke with told him there was a good chance he’d never play football again. And that’s he’d have to wear a special boot just to walk.

“Tell him to keep the faith,” Spence said of Smith. “Tell him to continue to trust God, because that’s the only person who can fix it for him. Man can’t do nothing for him. Put his trust in God, and everything will work out.

“Work hard. Do what he can do. Control what he can control, which is getting up and rehabbing every day. Making sure the knee is completely fine. Once his nerve comes back, he’s not going to notice it anymore.”

Spence cried. Many times, in the six months that it took before there was any sign that specialist was wrong.

It started with him being able to wiggle a toe. Then the next day he could wiggle another. Within a week the whole foot had sensation in it.

“Before that happened, I used to constantly try to pull my foot up,” Spence said, “even though I knew it wouldn’t move. I constantly tried to pull it every second of the day. Any time, any chance I made sure I pull my foot up.

“I used to slap the side of my leg, do anything to try to wake that nerve up. Eventually it worked out for me.”

And today, Spence says he’s physically as well off as he ever was. He missed only the 2012 rookie season because of the knee, but he sat out the 2013 season because of a broken finger, before putting together impressive seasons on the field in 2014 and 2015.

Spence said he has watched video of Smith’s injury many times. And he planned to watch the draft until Smith’s wait ended.

“I was in his shoes, and it was a bad place to be,” he said. “I just want to encourage him.”




Rest of article
http://www.ndinsider...89e17353cb.html

I'm pretty sure Smith said he already has the tingling in his foot.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I'm pretty sure Smith said he already has the tingling in his foot.

He has meaning the nerve is regenning. Smith's injury was not as bad as Spence and others because his knee and knee cap didn't violently compress and twist. He stepped on it for a second. Big difference.