Here comes Jaylon Smith.

After redshirting the entire 2016 season while he awaited the regeneration and re-firing of the damaged nerve in his knee, the Dallas Cowboys' 34th overall selection is gearing up to take on rookie minicamp beginning May 12. For those who are still wary on whether this means the former Notre Dame star will actually hit the field this Fall, the question has just been answered.

And it came straight from the horse's mouth.

Jaylon Smith says he'll be out there playing in the Cowboys' season opener against the New York Giants — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) May 10, 2017

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Speaking from the Cowboys' team golf event, Smith gave more insight into his rehabilitation process.

Jaylon Smith on how much progress doctors have said his nerve can make: "Maximum potential." pic.twitter.com/selMVotntX — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) May 10, 2017

A measured celebration is in order or the Cowboys, keeping in mind Smith still has a ways to go in the process. That said, he's now able to lift his toes and owner Jerry Jones says the former Notre Dame star could see full nerve regeneration in his knee by the start of the season.

For his part, Smith himself said long ago he had already begun to regain sensation in his foot, and the team has previously declared the damaged nerve had begun to fire. Questions still loom, justifiably so, regarding just how much potency he can deliver wearing the brace on his foot.

The "rookie" now says he can physically do everything in practice, and is "looking tremendous" despite still wearing his now infamous foot brace.

“Then the question is: How effective can he be in that brace?” Jones recently said, via Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “We think he’s going to be real effective, but how effective remains to be seen, and that’s why I think it’s difficult to say, ‘Well, we expect him to be the dominant player he was at Notre Dame.’ That’s probably high expectations.

"Is it possible? Absolutely.”

The NFL world will be tuned in September 10 to find out for themselves as the Cowboys work to exorcise the demons from a 2016 season that saw them swept by the rival Giants.

Having Smith in the fold with All-Pro Sean Lee will go a long way to ensuring they do just that.

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