Breakout Cowboys Star Jaylon Smith Finally Finished Notre Dame Degree This Offseason
By Sean Facey
There's nothing quite as touching as watching athletes reach life milestones off of the field.
Dallas Cowboys linebacker Jaylon Smith did just that this offseason, as he finally finished his degree at Notre Dame, a few years and several setbacks in the making.
Jaylon Smith took 21 hours in spring to finish degree https://t.co/vvxNi5djda
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) May 16, 2019
The 23-year-old Smith, who was drafted 34th overall by the Cowboys in 2016, took 21 credit hours in the spring semester in order to complete his bachelor's degree in film and television.
"It was very stressful, but life-changing," said Smith. "I'm excited to walk across the stage this weekend." As those who feel compelled to often do, Smith finished the degree to fulfill a promise to his mother.
He took an extremely diverse course load, including classes ranging from Latino studies to philosophy of human nature.
Cowboys LB Jaylon Smith took 21 hours this semester to earn his Notre Dame degree in film & television, keeping promise to his mom. He worked out with football team while there. Also launched his own Minority Entrepreneurship Institute. So...what did you do this offseason?
— Kate Hairopoulos (@khairopoulos) May 16, 2019
When healthy, Smith has been a vital member of the Cowboys' defense. He started all 16 games in 2018 and forced two fumbles, registered four sacks, and piled up a whopping 121 total tackles.
And don't worry, Cowboys fans. Smith stayed in shape while he was finishing his degree; he trained with the current Fighting Irish.
Smith's perseverance in pursuing his degree is just the latest example of the multiple dimensions of athletes that we don't often get to see. Congratulations, Jaylon!