Devin Smith ~ ~ ~

[kelly]

Devin Smith felt like things were just coming together for him in his rookie season … and then it ended.

Smith tore the ACL in his right knee in a December game against the Titans. The injury required season-ending surgery. Now, Smith, the team’s second-round pick in 2015, is fighting his way back.“It sucked. It really did,” Smith said. “I knew I was coming along and everything. Looking back on it, it kind of made me a stronger person. That’s the first time I actually have ever been hurt like that. That’s my surgery. It made me look at things different, so I have a positive mindset now and I’m excited to get back out there.”

Smith had a tough rookie year, suffering broken ribs and a partially punctured lung on the second day of training camp. When he returned during the season, he had to pick up the offense on the fly. He had a nice game against the Dolphins, scoring his only touchdown, two weeks before the knee injury, suffered while covering a punt. He finished the season with nine catches for 115 yards and the one score.

Smith said his rehab is going well and that he is working to strengthen the muscles in his leg and is able to run in a straight line. He said he is not sure when he will be back on the field.“I’m feeling pretty good,” Smith said. “I know it’s not going to be easy. I’m not going to be back to where I was before I got hurt. It’s going to take some work to get back to that point, but the direction I’m going in I feel real confident in coming back.”

>   http://nypost.com/2016/06/01/devin-smith-ready-to-make-most-of-second-chance-with-jets/