Midseason first-team All-American Jaylon Smith, and finalist for the 2015 Butkus Award, Jaylon Smith leads the Irish in 2015 with 68 solo tackles and 113 total tackles, is third with 9.0 tackles for loss and leads the team with five pass breakups. His six quarterback hurries tie for fourth on the team and match the lead among non-linemen.
Smith has joined Manti Te'o as the only Notre Dame players under head coach Brian Kelly to record at least 100 tackles in consecutive seasons. Te'o broke the century mark three straight years from 2010-12. Smith made 112 tackles in 2014. Smith is the first Notre Dame player with at least 113 tackles, nine TFLs and five passes defended since Courtney Watson in 2003.
Smith, a 2014 Associated Press second-team All-America selection and Butkus Award finalist, started all 13 games last year and led the Irish in total tackles, solo tackles (65), assisted tackles (47) and tackles for loss. Smith ranked tied for second on the team with three and a half sacks.
Smith set a career-high with 14 tackles in the win over USC (Oct. 17) and then broke that sum with 15 at No. 9 Stanford on Nov. 28. He has reached double digits in tackles five times in the last six games of the regular season.
SI.com Midseason First-Team All-American
CBS Sports Midseason First-Team All-American
Bednarik Award Semifinalist
Bednarik Award Semifinalist
Butkus Award Semifinalist
Lott IMPACT Trophy Semifinalist
Bednarik Award Watch List
Butkus Award Watch List
Lombardi Award Watch List
Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List
Nagurski Trophy Watch List
ESPN.com Preseason First Team All-American
Sports Illustrated Preseason First Team All-American
Phil Steele Preseason First Team All-American
Sporting News Preseason Second Team All-American
Athlon Sports Preseason Second Team All-American
College Sports Madness Independent Defensive Player of the Week (9.8.15)
Lott IMPACT Player of the Week (9.15.15)
Lott IMPACT Player of the Week Nominee (9.21.15)
Lott IMPACT Player of the Week Nominee (10.19.15)