Why Cowboys Should Draft 'Blue-Star Special' Jaylon Smith

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IRVING (105.3 THE FAN) - Our Gavin Dawson calls them "Blue-Star Specials,'' that is, the players the Cowboys tend to draft — maybe a little lower than their talent would otherwise dictate — because of injury concerns.

There is a risk in doing so. But what if the reward is great?

This figures to be the case with Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith.

And you can put me down for believing that he's well worth the risk of using one of Dallas' four picks in the sixth round on.

In 2010, the Cowboys selected linebacker Sean Lee. There were knee problems, and not every part of Lee's career has been smooth sailing in this regard. But he's a Pro Bowl-level player, and maybe it's not fair to consider him "fragile.''

Now along comes Jaylon Smith. This is a high-first-round talent who might've been worthy of the No. 4 overall pick had he not torn up a knee in a bowl game.

The word on him is that he "might'' play again … but the Cowboys should have better words on him than anyone as Dr. Dan Cooper, one of the Cowboys' physicians, performed the Smith surgery.

No, I don't "throw away'' a sixth-rounder on Smith because I happen to have four of them Draft picks are golden; I don't "throw them away.'' But I use them — and this weekend, with the hope that

Smith's nerve regenerates and the acceptance of the possibility it won't — I use one of them on a "Blue-Star Special'' named Jaylon Smith.