In his second mock draft released Thursday, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. predicts that the Bears will select Notre Dame outside linebacker Jaylon Smith with the 11th pick.
Notre Dame outside linebacker Jaylon Smith
Smith won the Butkus Award as the nation's top linebacker last season, but he tore the ACL and MCL in his left knee in a Fiesta Bowl loss to Ohio State.
"If Jaylon Smith didn't end his career at Notre Dame being carted off the field in the Fiesta Bowl, you're looking at a player who wouldn't be available here," Kiper wrote. "If it's just about the tape, this is one of the top three or four players in the entire draft, a gifted sideline-to-sideline defender who can cover. The potential reward at a position of need makes him a great addition here."
