Jaylon Smith sidesteps questions about nerve damage to knee

Former Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith did little to clarify whether or not he suffered nerve damage when he tore his ACL and LCL in January.

Smith answered questions about the health of his surgically repaired knee Friday after the appearance of an orthotic brace led to speculation he suffered nerve damage that could be a long-term problem and force him to miss all of 2016.

While Smith said initially there was no nerve damage, he admitted he's wearing an orthosis to "help the nerve heal."

"I feel great. There's no soreness in the knee. There's no pain," Smith said, but wouldn't clarify whether he suffered any nerve damage. Though Smith did say the nerve was not "stretched."

The concern for some teams in the draft is that Smith may have to sit out his entire rookie season, meaning he could fall out of the first round. While Smith attempted to put a positive spin on his draft position, he continually referred to himself as "a long-term guy."