Cowboys take big chance in second round with Notre Dame LB Jaylon Smith

8:18 PM ET

After taking running back Ezekiel Elliott in the first round of the NFL draft Thursday, the Dallas Cowboys almost had to go defense with their second-round selection. And that’s what they did by grabbing Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith with the 34th overall pick, but Smith will not play this season because of a knee injury.

My take: The Cowboys wanted to take a risk in the first round by aggressively looking to trade up for quarterback Paxton Lynch, but were thwarted. They were even more aggressive in the second round by taking Smith, knowing he will need a redshirt year.

Smith suffered a torn ACL and LCL in Notre Dame’s Jan. 1 bowl game, but it is nerve damage that is keeping him off the field in 2016. The Cowboys are confident the nerve will regenerate and have the knowledge of the team doctor, Dr. Daniel Cooper, who performed the surgery.

“It’s been the most challenging time of my life, but at the same time it’s the best time of my life where my dream has just come true,” Smith said. “I’ve been wanting to play in the NFL since I was 7 years old.”

But …

continue reading in source espn.go.com