Jaylon Smith has waited a long time to play in the NFL, longer than most rookies.
The linebacker missed all of his rookie season last year after sustaining a knee injury in his final game at Notre Dame. He required surgery to repair on a torn ACL and LCL, causing his stock to plummet in the 2016 NFL Draft. Prior to the injury, he was a projected a high first-round pick.
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The Cowboys took Smith in the second round of the draft, and, after about 600 days of waiting Smith finally got to play in a game, making his Cowboys debut against the Colts on Saturday.
Though Smith played in 12 plays during the game against the Indianapolis Colts, it hasn't stopped the Cowboys brass and outside pundits from gushing over the small sample.
.@thejaylonsmith makes the STOP! 👏 #INDvsDAL pic.twitter.com/3FPtALCFIh
— NFL (@NFL) August 19, 2017
"[It was a] really an exciting night for him," Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said after the game Saturday. "He's worked really hard to get himself back to this point. To put his Dallas Cowboy uniform on and to go out here at AT&T Stadium and play in a football game, a lot of work has gone into that and it's a real credit to who he is as a guy. ... It's just the start, but it certainly is a good one for him."
It wasn't just Smith's head coach who was impressed by his debut.
Former Dallas receiver and NFL Hall of Famer Michael Irvin was in Dallas on Monday for the Cowboys' 'Ring of Honor Walk' — a hall of fame of sorts among Cowboys greats. Those inducted include former quarterback Troy Aikman, running back Emmit Smith, linebacker Chuck Howley, Irvin and 17 others.
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When Irvin was asked by reporters who else he thought would be inducted into the 'Ring of Honor' someday, it didn't take him long to bring up Smith.
Irvin has long been an advocate of Smith's, and he was also the one who announced Smith's selection from the podium at the 2016 Draft.
"As I talk through journeys and end results, I can't wait until you see Jaylon Smith here one day," Irvin told the Dallas Morning News. "I still have his card from the day I drafted him and I showed him that card. I said I'm going to hold this until you walk into Canton, Ohio, baby, and then I'm going to ask you to autograph it. I want you to remember this moment because I drafted you and I'm going to hold this card until you walk into Canton, Ohio and I do believe one day he will walk into Canton, Ohio. He will walk in this Ring. But he will walk in that Hall."
Cowboys owner, president and general manager Jerry Jones even compared Smith to Irvin on Tuesday. Irvin tore his ACL in the middle of the 1989 season, but was able to return after just five games into the 1990 season.
“I’ve never seen anybody or no one else has seen anybody attack rehab the way he did,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan. “I think Jaylon Smith is on par with that.”
Jones said he's been pleased with how Smith has progressed and rehabbed back from his injury. And with the regular season nearly two weeks away, Jones expects Smith to play a big part in Dallas' defense.
“He has certainly met our expectation, if we could have any, on how his nerve has basically progressed in terms of that issue,” Jones said on The Fan. "And what is obvious is that as a football player, he’s really ready to make a big contribution.”