2B THURSDAY APRIL 23 2020 Sports STAR-TELEGRAM.COM ON THE AIR pressed with everything that he’s done and his path. Impressed with suspended Smith, I’ve always admired him from afar. Very impressive THURSDAY’S TV / young man, and I’m look- RADIO Cowboys await his reinstatement ing forward to working NFL with him.” 2020 NFL Draft: round 1, 7 p.m., In addition to looking to ABC, ESPN, NFL stance abuse policy. His “Aldon has been in the known to take a risk on a reinstate Smith, the Cow- BY CLARENCE E. HILL JR. reinstatement application is process of re-entering as an troubled star, Smith signing boys are seeking to bring [email protected] being reviewed by the active player in the NFL for with the Cowboys should back a second defensive league. several months now,” be linked more with the end, Randy Gregory, who FRIDAY’S TV / RADIO The Dallas Cowboys Defensively, the Cow- Cowboys owner Jerry Jones team’s new head coach. the league said in February HORSE RACING have an idea how newly- boys intend to use a 4-3 said Tuesday in speaking Earlier this year, McCar- also violated its substance Trackside Live, 3 p.m., NBCSN signed defensive end — base with the ability to publicly on Smith for the thy was visiting his daugh- abuse policy. NFL and currently suspended — switch to the 3-4 scheme, first time since the team ter in Los Angeles, which is Jones said the team will 2020 NFL Draft: rounds 2-3, 6 Aldon Smith will fit into and they see Smith as a signed him to a one-year where Smith was training be patient and respect the p.m., ABC, ESPN, NFL new coach Mike McCar- designated pass rusher who deal earlier this month. “I at the time. Smith was process but declared that thy’s defensive scheme. can wreak havoc on oppos- would say first-hand that I working out and rehabbing both players are adhering NBCSN is on DirecTV/220, Dish/159, However, what they do ing offensives from either know that he is very dili- at Jay Glazer’s Unbreakable to the protocols necessary U-verse/640, FiOS/90, Time War- not know is when, and if, the end or outside line- gent in his work to do the Gym and is part of the for reinstatement. “I ner/31, Charter/80 he will be reinstated by the backer positions. Team things the NFL looks at to Merging Veterans and wouldn’t dare get into NFL. Smith has not played management has been reinstate. It was important Players Program that the where the league is and in the NFL since being impressed with Smith’s to us to look eye to eye and coach is helping to fund. how they will go about this placed on an indefinite renewed commitment and see where we are with our “I was up there on a process for both of those FROM PAGE 1B suspension in 2015 for are supporting him in the conscientiousness.” personal nature,” McCar- players.” violating the league’s sub- process. Although Jones has been thy said. “I was very im- PROUD loss, including 16.5 sacks. FROM PAGE 1B cerns about his future. surgery. His condition He closed his prep career In 2016, Vander Esch involves the narrowing of with 29 tackles for loss, missed half of the season the spinal canal. including 13 sacks, as a ENGEL with a neck injury. He He was supposed to be senior and headed to Tex- played all of the ‘17 sea- ready in time for all foot- as A&M as a four-star ways cooperated. son, and the Cowboys ball activity by the start of prospect. It’s 2020, and the Cow- followed their history and training camp. With the At A&M, Madubuike boys’ best young line- took the risk by using their coronavirus effectively had an impressive sopho- backers are a point of first-round pick on LVE in shutting down the world, more season in 2018, concern when one year the 2018 draft. no one knows if camps finishing with 40 tackles, ago when they were the In 2018, it all worked. will start on time. 10.5 tackles for loss and foundation of the entire LVE was one of the NFL’s The Cowboys are hop- 5.5 sacks. Last season, he defense. top rookie defensive play- ing that the setbacks that led the team in TFLs (11.5) They are two promising ers. RON JENKINS AP both Smith and LVE suf- and sacks (5.5) and de- young players who came And Smith, after he If the Cowboys want to improve their defense, Leighton fered in 2019 are minor, clared for the draft. to the Cowboys after in- played in all 16 games in Vander Esch (55) and Jaylon Smith (54) returning to their and that they are what “I felt like I had nothing jury issues in their colle- 2017, made a visible dif- 2018 form will solve many of their issues. they showed in 2018. left that I wanted to ac- giate careers, Smith at ference with the 2018 Because the Cowboys complish,” Madubuike Notre Dame and LVE at squad. He was dynamic. have so many other needs, said. Boise State. He made plays at the line, five-year, $64 million terceptions, and 26th in they can’t address the Madubuike has since In 2018, Smith looked and in space. He played extension in the offseason, turnovers. It was an aver- position high in the this been focused on boosting fully healed from the torn like a guy who was expect- and for the second consec- age defense that did not year’s draft. his draft stock as much as ACL he suffered in the ed to be a top 10 pick. utive year he started all 16 make plays. If Smith and LVE return possible. He had a stand- Fiesta Bowl in January of In that 2018 season, the games. After a solid perform- to the form they displayed out performance at the 2016. The gamble the Cowboys’ ranked sixth in While the tackle ance in Week 1, LVE never in 2018, it may solve many combine, running a 4.83- Cowboys took to select the NFL in points allowed, numbers increased, the looked right. On Oct. 20, of the Cowboys’ problems second 40-yard dash and him in the second round and 16th in turnovers plays did not. Something 2019, he had a “nerve on defense. But if they are repping the 225-pound of the ‘16 draft hit. forced. The team won the was off. The run defense issue” in his neck. He the second coming of bench press 31 times. Coming out of Boise NFC East, and advanced suffered, and Smith strug- would miss the final seven Carter and Lee, the Cow- More than what he did State, LVE’s injury was a to the NFC divisional gled shedding blocks and games of the season. boys have major problems at college and the com- constant source of spec- round. was routinely taken out by In January, he had ahead. bine, though, Madubuike ulation, and that some But in 2019 something opposing blockers. surgery on his neck. For a believes his best playing teams said they would not changed. The defense ranked tied football player, there is no Mac Engel: 817-390-7760, days are ahead of him. draft him because of con- Smith agreed to for last in the NFL in in- such thing as a minor neck MacEngelProf As The Athletic’s NFL Draft analyst Dane Bru- gler said, “Overall, Madu- buike isn’t a refined player FROM PAGE 1B (7-9) – Henry Ruggs, WR, gles (9-7) – Patrick Queen, CB, LSU: The Seahawks right now, but he is a pow- Alabama: John Elway adds LB, LSU: The Eagles add continue to rebuild their er-packed athlete with some juice to the offense to an already stout front Legion of Boom second- twitched-up muscles to MOCK DRAFT with the fastest receiver in seven on defense. ary. Fulton has a big up- win the point of attack, the draft. 22. Minnesota Vikings side. projecting as a three- to protect the QB. 10. Cleveland Browns 16. Atlanta Falcons (10-6) – Tee Higgins, WR, 28. Baltimore Ravens technique tackle with 5. Miami Dolphins (6-10) – Isaiah Simmons, (7-9) – Kenneth Murray, Clemson: The Vikes will (14-2) – Yetur Gross-Ma- upside.” (5-11) – Tua Tagovailoa, LB, Clemson: The Browns LB, Oklahoma: Atlanta get use the Bills’ pick to re- tos, DE, Penn State: The Added Madubuike: “I QB, Alabama: Miami add to their defense with a productive tackler in place Stefon Diggs. Higgs Ravens get some pass rush haven’t even started didn’t tank for Tua to play the athletic and versatile Murray to bolster a de- is the best contested-ball help to match a strong scratching the surface of it safe now. They go all in Simmons who can play LB fense that was 27th in catcher in the draft. defensive tackle haul in how great of a player I can on the best QB in the draft, or FS. points, 20th in yards. 23. New England Pa- free agency. be. I played well at A&M, despite injury concerns. 11. New York Jets (7-9) 17. Dallas Cowboys triots (12-4) – Jordan 29. Tennessee Titans but it’s not who I really 6. Los Angeles Char- – Ceedee Lamb, WR, Okla- (8-8) – K’Lavon Chaisson, Love, QB, Utah State: The (9-7) – A.J.