Notre Dame’s Jaylon Smith Proving Elite Status Among College Football Linebackers

By Nick Wilder @NickCWilder on October 27, 2014

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish defense has seen several players step up throughout their 6-1 journey so far this season, such as defensive lineman Jarron Jones and linebacker Joe Schmidt. However, the most valuable player on the defensive side of the ball for Notre Dame has consistently been sophomore linebacker Jaylon Smith. Everyone around the college football landscape has begun taking notice of Smith, as he was named a semifinalist for the 2014 Butkus Award this week.

The award eventually goes to the nation’s best linebacker at the conclusion of each season. Smith has a solid chance to beat out 14 other semifinalists for the prestigious honor, which includes UCLA’s Miles Jack and Clemson‘s Stephone Anthony. He’s accumulated 53 total tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and two sacks through seven games for the Fighting Irish.

Those aren’t eye-popping stats when compared with other top defensive players around the country, but Smith does so many little things that help the Notre Dame defense succeed. The versatility he exemplifies is likely his biggest strength on the field. Smith has proven in several games that he can penetrate the backfield to stop the run, and he can also cover players down field in passing situations.

The Notre Dame linebacker, who won the 2012 High School Butkus award, has continued to be a key reason for the team’s success. His ability to tackle has been a little inconsistent, but he’ll likely improve on that part of his game as the season progresses.

If the Fighting Irish want to run the table and fight for a spot in the College Football Playoff, they’ll need Smith to continue his strong season and keep growing as a relatively young linebacker.

Nick Wilder is a writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @NickCWilder and add him to your network on Google.