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Jaylon Smith vs. Myles Jack: NFL Draft Stock Comparison
Jaylon Smith vs. Myles Jack: Comparing the NFL Draft stock of two linebackers with plenty to prove.
March 2, 2016
Jaylon Smith vs. Myles Jack: Comparing the NFL Draft stock of two linebackers with plenty to prove.
This year’s class of linebackers in the NFL Draft is deep, very deep. It doesn’t matter if a team is picking in the top 10 or doesn’t even have a first-round pick (cough, cough … New England), there are a lot of really talented linebackers to be selected.
Jaylon Smith and Myles Jack, when healthy, are the two studs widely acknowledged as the draft’s best linebacking prospects. The key phrase here being, “when healthy.”
Smith and Jack have some major similarities, but the UCLA product is projected to be a top-10 pick while the Notre Dame prospect is falling down (and off) draft boards everywhere.
So, let’s break down their NFL Draft stocks and see what has them trending in opposite directions.
Health
When Jack tore his meniscus against BYU in mid-September, it was a huge hit to UCLA. He was the team’s most versatile player and a playmaker on the defensive side of the ball. The projected recovery time was four to six months, meaning (theoretically) Jack should be ready to go full-speed by March 15, when the Bruins host their pro day. He was invited to the NFL Combine, but aside from interviews (in which he reportedly impressed scouts), Jack only participated in the bench press, where he put up 19 reps. He’ll soon have to prove he’s healthy.
Smith’s story is a little different. The Fighting Irish linebacker suffered an ACL and MCL tear in his left knee in early January against Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl. While Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson returned from a similar injury in only nine months, typical recovery time usually takes one year (as well as more time to get back into “football shape”). There has been some talk of Smith having nerve damage, which would cause him to miss the entire 2016 NFL season. His long-term health is a huge question mark and is having the biggest impact on his draft stock.
Measurements
Physically, both players are very similar. Smith has more of a lean, athletic build, while Jack has bigger hands, a longer reach and is heavier. Both have the size to play outside linebacker in the NFL.
Production
As a freshman, Jack won Pac-12 Freshman of the Year on both offense and defense. He rushed for seven touchdowns in that 2013 season; however his carries started to go down as he stood out on the other side of the ball. In the 29 games he played for the Bruins at linebacker, Jack totaled 178 tackles, four interceptions and 15 tackles for loss. The production was definitely there and would have continued had he not missed the majority of his junior season.
While not a two-way player like Jack, Smith, too, shot out of the gate like a thoroughbred. In 2013, Smith played in 12 games and racked up 58 tackles with a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. By the time his career in South Bend had come to an end, Smith’s Notre Dame stats totaled at 284 total tackles, 23.5 tackles for a loss, 4.5 sacks and 3 forced fumbles.
Draft Stock
Jack having more time to recover from his injury is the biggest factor here. NFL teams know he’ll be ready to go by the time the 2016 season rolls around, and he’ll likely go in the top 10, if not the top five. The Dallas Cowboys at No. 4 and the Jacksonville Jaguars at No. 5 are two teams with high interest in Jack.
Concerns about Smith’s health are pummeling his draft stock while his production and potential have kept it afloat. There’s still a chance he goes late in the first round, as a high-risk, high-reward selection. The most likely scenario is Smith falls out of the first round but gets scooped up early in the second round by a team taking a flier that he’ll fully recover.
Projections
Myles Jack – No. 5 overall Jacksonville Jaguars
Jaylon Smith – No. 41 overall Chicago Bears
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