FORT WAYNE – For a player who possesses the talent that Bishop Luers junior Jaylon Smith does, you wouldn’t think there would be a lot of question marks. But there are two major things to ponder when it comes to his future: which college will he play for and at what position? The answers are yet to be determined.
The future looks bright for Smith as he prepares for a third Class 2A state football championship game Friday against Evansville Mater Dei (13-1).
He has already gotten offers from Notre Dame, Ohio State, Michigan State, Indiana, Purdue and Mississippi State, among others. He’s visited Notre Dame and Ohio State (where his older brother, Rod, is a sophomore running back) and will continue the recruiting process after the state title game.
“I try to avoid it as much as possible,” Smith said Monday of the recruiting hoopla. “It’s a team thing, and my individual career starts after the season. I just try to do everything with my team to prepare for this state finals.”
Smith said he would like to narrow the list by June, then make a decision a couple of months after that.
“After two-a-days (practices), I would love to figure out where I am going,” he said. “Next year, toward the end of August, that’s the goal.”
Luers coach Matt Lindsay said Smith has been able to keep things in perspective – most of the time.
“It is tough on any kid to get all that attention and have all these accolades,” Lindsay said.
“I won’t say it has changed him, but we have to put him back in his place occasionally. He is just a kid getting a tremendous amount of attention. I think he has handled it pretty well.”
The 6-foot-3, 213-pounder leads the 2A top-ranked Knights (12-1) with 1,189 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns as a running back and has 49 tackles (18 for loss), eight sacks, two fumble recoveries and an interception as an outside linebacker.
“We have a lot of tremendous players here, and the talent is really spread out, so it’s not I am just getting the ball, and they are handing it off to me every down,” Smith said of running the ball.
Smith has started three years on defense, while getting the call at running back full time just this year.
“He thinks he is a big-time linebacker, and I think he is a big-time running back,” Lindsay said. “He is capable on defense as well. He gets after the quarterback and makes it difficult for those guys. When he plays well, we usually play well.
“He’s a great athlete and makes a lot of huge plays. Some of the things he is doing with the football in his hands are really remarkable. He does things most kids don’t do, and that’s why the world is recruiting him.
“He mentioned one time that running backs take an awful beating. I said, ‘Yeah, or you can be the kind of running back that dishes it out.’
“Time will tell what he does.
“Some of the people who have recruited him have said they are just going to recruit him as an athlete and they will sort it out when he gets there.”
