The Las Vegas Raiders are rolling the dice on a former Notre Dame standout, giving linebacker Jaylon Smith a shot at an NFL comeback. The team invited Smith to their minicamp over the weekend on a tryout basis, and according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, he inked a deal with the Raiders on Sunday.
It’s been a while since Smith last saw NFL action, with his most recent appearance coming in 2023 during a brief stint with the Raiders. That year, he was signed off the New Orleans Saints’ practice squad and played in just one game before being released. He then joined the Pittsburgh Steelers on a practice-squad deal but never saw the field.
Now 29, Smith’s journey to this point has been anything but smooth. Drafted by the Dallas Cowboys with the 34th overall pick in 2016, Smith was a highly touted prospect after winning the Butkus Award as the best linebacker in the country during his junior year at Notre Dame in 2015. However, a severe knee injury as a senior caused him to slide in the draft. The Cowboys took a gamble on him, and it paid off initially. Smith became a standout in Dallas, earning a Pro Bowl nod in 2019. But injuries derailed his career, leading to stints with multiple teams after he left the Cowboys as a free agent in 2021.
The road ahead for Smith in Las Vegas is steep, but he’s shown flashes of the player he can be when healthy. The Raiders are betting on those moments, hoping he can recapture some of that magic and contribute to a defense that’s looking to rebuild. It’s a long shot, but in the NFL, second chances are part of the game, and Smith is ready to fight for his.
