Jaylon Smith is a versatile linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League. Following an excellent high school career in which he was awarded Indiana Mr. Football and earned the 2012 High School Butkus Award, he started his NCAA career with Notre Dame in 2013.
At Bishop Luers High School, he was a running back and a linebacker, and Scout.com and Rivals.com ranked him as the top outside linebacker prospect in his class. Jaylon started all 13 games for Notre Dame as a freshman, accumulating 67 tackles, including 6.5 for loss, one forced fumble, and one interception. The Cowboys selected him 34th overall in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft. In addition, Smith revealed on May 25, 2021 that, in accordance with the new NFL jersey standards, he has elected to alter his number from 54 to 9 from his collegiate days at Notre Dame. The Cowboys have made the decision to release LB Smith, Jaylon.
Jaylon Smith, a veteran linebacker, has been released by the Cowboys. Smith has gotten minimal snaps this season, both in basic packages and in nickel defense, in his sixth season. The move doesn’t save the Cowboys any money on the salary limit this year since his contract was guaranteed, but it might save them money in 2022 if he’s injured. The team looked at trade options, but nothing came to fruition.
Jaylon Smith’s Bio
Jaylon Smith was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, on June 14, 1995. He is of African-American race and has American nationality. Similarly, his ethnicity is black and his faith is Christian. Smith will be 26 years old in 2021, and his zodiac sign is Gemini, according to his birthdate. Roger Smith (father) and Sophia Woodsen (mother) are his parents (mother). Rod Smith and Saniya Smith are his two siblings. Smith went to Bishop Luers High School, where he was a three-sport letterman in football, basketball, and track.
What is Jaylon Smith’s profession?
Jaylon Smith began his career by being named Mr. Football for the state of Indiana while playing for Bishop Luers High School, and he also helped Bishop Luers win the 2012 Indiana 2A title game 40-28 over Evansville Mater Dei while rushing for 150 yards and three touchdowns, as Bishop Luers became the first Indiana 2A school to win four straight state titles. As a senior in 2012, he rushed for 1,265 yards and 18 touchdowns on 176 carries, with 10 catches for 66 yards and two additional touchdowns. He has 72 tackles (43 solos), 19.5 tackles for loss, eight sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and seven pass deflections on the defensive side of the ball. He then went on to play basketball as a freshman, sophomore, and junior at Ohio State, where he was teammates with Deshaun Thomas, a former Ohio State basketball player.
At the 2013 IHSAA T&F Sectional, he finished fourth in the shot throw with a personal best of 14.81 meters (48 feet 6 inches) and ran the lead leg of the first-place 4 100 m (43.43) and the fourth leg of the second-place 4 400 m (3:27.08). At the 2013 SAC T&F Meet, he led Bishop Luers’ 4 100 m relay team, which won the race in 42.91 seconds, and the 4 400 m relay team, which placed third, while also placing third in the shot throw (47 ft 5 in) and eighth in the 400-meter dash (53.46 s). Jaylon later signed his letter of intent and committed to enroll and play football at the University of Notre Dame on February 6, 2013. Rivals.com and Scout.com rated him as the top outside linebacker prospect in his class. He was a member of the 2013 US Army All-American Bowl team.
In his college career, Jaylon fought over Ben Councell for the starting DOG linebacker position in 2013, recording 67 tackles, including 6.5 for loss, one forced fumble, three pass breakups, and one interception while starting all 13 games. His greatest performance came in a 34-30 win against Arizona State, when he had nine tackles, including 1.5 for loss. However, against USC, he had his first career interception on a Cody Kessler pass. Smith was one of three defensive players to start all 13 games, racking up 112 tackles, nine for loss, and 3.5 sacks while also being awarded the FBS Independent Co-Defensive Player of the Year.
During his junior year in 2015, Jaylon has 115 tackles, nine tackles for loss, one sack, five passes defended, two fumble recoveries, and one forced fumble while playing in all 13 games. On January 11, 2016, he declared that he will sacrifice the remainder of his eligibility and join the 2016 NFL Draft.
Jaylon went on a pre-draft visit with the San Francisco 49ers, and he was expected to be a third- or fourth-round choice by the majority of NFL draft analysts. DraftScout.com listed him as the 10th best outside linebacker prospect in the draft, while NFL expert Mike Mayock ranked him as the 11th best linebacker. The Dallas Cowboys chose Smith in the second round (34th overall) in the 2016 NFL Draft, and on May 20, 2016, they signed him to a four-year deal for $6.49 million, with $4.42 million guaranteed and a $2.92 million signing bonus. He was, however, sidelined for the entire 2016 NFL season due to a ruptured ACL and MCL.
On the 7th of June 2017, he participated in drills in front of the media for the first time since his torn ACL and MCL, and on the 26th of July 2017, he participated in practice in full pads for the first time since college, but only received limited reps as the coaching staff was cautious as he acclimated to playing in full pads. To begin the regular season, head coach Jason Garrett designated Jaylon the starting middle linebacker, alongside outside linebackers Sean Lee and Damien Wilson. In the Dallas Cowboys’ season-opening game against the New York Giants, he made his professional regular-season debut and first career start, recording seven combined tackles and forcing a fumble in a 19-3 win.
During the Cowboys’ 40-10 victory against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 7 on October 22, 2017, he had three combined tackles and forced a turnover on his first career sack. In his second NFL season, he had 81 combined tackles (50 solos), two pass deflections, two forced fumbles, and one sack in 16 games and six starts, including his first career sack on 49ers quarterback C. J. Beathard for a six-yard loss and a forced fumble by Bethard that was recovered by teammate Tyrone Crawford in the third quarter. Smith began the 2018 season with outside linebackers Sean Lee and Damion Wilson, and during a 19-16 defeat to the Houston Texans in Week 5, he had 12 combined tackles (six solos), a pass breakup, and a sack.
On August 20, 2019, he signed a five-year, $64 million contract deal with the Cowboys, with $35.5 million guaranteed, putting him under contract through 2024. For the 2019 Dallas Cowboys season, he was also voted as a first-time team captain. Smith had a team-high 12 tackles and half a sack on Daniel Jones in the 37-18 victory over the New York Giants on Monday Night Football in week 9, and a team-high 13 tackles in the 28-24 defeat to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday Night Football in week 10.
In week 17, he had a team-high eight tackles and intercepted a ball thrown by Case Keenum in a 47-16 victory against the Washington Redskins, which was his first career interception in the NFL. He also led the club with 13 tackles in a 40-39 comeback victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 2 and earned his first complete sack of the season on Kirk Cousins in a 31-28 win over the Minnesota Vikings in Week 11. During the 41-16 defeat against the Washington Football Team in Week 12, he got his first interception off a pass thrown by Alex Smith and returned it 43 yards. Jaylon declared earlier in the NFL preseason, on May 25, 2021, that he had elected to alter his number from 54 to 9 from his time at Notre Dame, in accordance with the new NFL jersey standards.
Jaylon Smith’s girlfriend
Jaylon Smith is a football linebacker who is single. Nevada Jones, a fellow athlete with whom he has been in a long-term relationship, is his current girlfriend. Nevada was a basketball player at Indiana Institution, Kokomo, a public university in Indiana, during her collegiate years. She has always been a strong supporter of Jaylon, so seeing him enjoy his girlfriend and be devoted to her is amazing. Smith is straight when it comes to his sexual orientation.
What is Jaylon Smith’s Net Worth?
Jaylon Smith has a net worth of $4 million as of 2022, however his specific income has yet to be revealed. However, we may safely conclude that his annual pay is in the millions of dollars. With the Cowboys, he agreed to a five-year, $64 million contract deal, with $35.5 million guaranteed, putting him under contract through 2024. Jaylon has yet to undertake any brand endorsement work. In addition, his football linebacker profession is his primary source of income.
Jaylon Smith’s Height
Jaylon Smith is 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 meters) tall and weighs roughly 245 pounds (111 kg). He has multiple tattoos on his body that have drawn a lot of attention to him. He has dark brown eyes and good-looking black hair. In addition, Jaylon’s physique type is athletic. In the first quarter of the Fiesta Bowl game against Ohio State, he sustained a knee injury and had to leave the game. The diagnosis of ACL and LCL injuries in the knee has been verified. On January 7, 2016, he had successful knee surgery on both ligaments.
Quick Facts
Jaylon played both running back and linebacker at Bishop Luers High School, and Scout.com and Rivals.com ranked him as the top outside linebacker prospect in his class. In his rookie season at Notre Dame, he started all 13 games and had 67 tackles, including 6.5 for loss, one forced fumble, and one interception. Rod Smith, his elder brother, was an Ohio State running back. Head coach Brian Kelly recruited him to play at Notre Dame. He was selected Indiana Mr. Football and earned the Butkus Award for High School Football in 2012.