GRAPEVINE, Texas _ Jaylon Smith smiles at the questions. The Dallas Cowboys' second-year linebacker makes it clear he believes in himself in his recovery from a devastating left knee injury. Smith insists he will convince everyone else once they see him on the field.
"It's going to be reaping what I sow," Smith said Wednesday during the team's annual Golf Classic at Cowboys Golf Club. "It's just an amazing opportunity to be back out there with the Cowboys, and honestly it's just a matter of you guys seeing it."
For the first time since he was drafted a year ago, Smith is on the field with his teammates. He spent the last year rehabbing, using his rookie season as a redshirt.
The Cowboys are taking precautions with Smith, making sure not to overwork him during their offseason program. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Smith would alternate days on the field, at least until training camp.
"He won't be out there every day, but the days he is out there, he'll be taking the full load," Jones said.
Although Smith is eligible to work with the rookies at their minicamp this weekend, he will participate only in the walk-throughs and meetings after going on the field with the veterans twice this week.
Smith guarantees he will play the season opener against the New York Giants.
"Sunday night. Prime time," he said.
The question remains: How well will be play? The Cowboys made Smith a second-round pick, gambling he could return to the level that made him a top-10 prospect before his injury Jan. 1, 2016, in Notre Dame's bowl game.
"He's a franchise-type player who I think is going to be around here for many, many years, and we certainly don't want to do anything that's not in his best interest," Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said, "and I know everybody is curious to how this is going to work. I just think we feel very optimistic about him, very optimistic that he's going to be playing football for the Cowboys this year and making a difference."
Smith, though, still wears a brace on his left foot after damage to the peroneal nerve in his leg created drop foot. No one at his position is known to have played in the NFL with an ankle-foot orthosis (AFO).
"Just depends on the growth of the nerve," Smith said on whether he will play with the brace. "Right now, it's on the up, and I'm playing with it now.
"... I've heard of a few guys [who have played with the brace], but that was their situation, and I have my own situation. With technology and my skill set and my God-given physicality, it hasn't limited me. I'm doing great."
Dr. Dan Cooper, the Cowboys' team physician who performed the surgery on Smith, updated Jerry Jones on Smith on Wednesday. Jones continues to state that Smith's "arrow is pointing up."
Smith agrees.
"It's just having a clear-eye view, a focused vision, a determined belief, an earned dream," Smith said. "Everything I've done thus far has been just staying committed to that. I'm very focused, and I'm committed to being successful."
