SOUTH BEND –  Notre Dame’s  Jaylon Smith announced today that he will enter the 2016 NFL Draft.

Smith, the 2015 Butkus Award winner as the nation’s top collegiate LB, tore the ACL and MCL in his left knee against Ohio State in the Battlefrog Fiesta Bowl, on Jan. 1. The junior linebacker from Fort Wayne had reconstructive knee surgery last week.

“It’s really just perseverance for me, with the adversity I’m going through right now, dealing with the knee injury,” Smith said in a video statement. “I have the same vision; it’s just a different path. I’m just really looking forward to this opportunity.”

Smith was the No. 2-ranked prospect on Mel Kiper Jr’s Big Board, which was released in mid-December before Smith’s injury.

Smith is “one of the most dynamic football players I’ve coached in 25 years,” Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said on “SportsCenter” on Monday. “I think he’s a generational player at his position. He’ll recover fine from (the injury). We saw (former Georgia and current Rams RB) Todd Gurley have an ACL and MCL (injury); obviously, it didn’t affect his status. The NFL will be lucky to get a young man like this.”

Smith becomes the fifth Irish player to declare for the draft, joining running back C.J. Prosise, receiver Will Fuller, offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley and cornerback KeiVarae Russell.