The 49ers will meet with former Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith, once considered one of the best defensive prospects in April’s NFL Draft, who faces questions about his future following a serious knee injury suffered in the Fiesta Bowl in January.

San Francisco is expected to host Smith for a pre-draft visit, according to Bleacher Report.

Notre Dame pro day today. I'm told LB Jaylon Smith has a private visit planned with the #49ers in Santa Clara soon. — Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) March 31, 2016

Smith sustained tears in his anterior cruciate ligament and lateral collateral ligament in his left knee in the loss to Ohio State after many believed he could be one of the first defensive players taken in the draft’s first round April 28.

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With the injury, it’s likely Smith misses all of 2016 recovering, but questions persist beyond his torn ligaments. Smith is due for a medical re-check back in Indianapolis in mid April, where NFL doctors will try to determine if Smith suffered degenerative nerve damage around the torn ligaments.

If that’s the case, there’s a chance Smith may never fully recover from the injury, which would be very bad news for his career after he was considered one of the best overall athletes in this draft class.

The 49ers, of course, have made a habit of drafting players who had their draft stocks slip due to pre-draft knee injuries. Marcus Lattimore, Tank Carradine, Keith Reaser and Brandon Thomas all dealt with knee ailments before the draft that allowed San Francisco to select them later than initially projected.

But that strategy of drafting for value has not panned out. Lattimore retired before ever playing a down in the NFL after his knee injury was too severe to overcome. Carradine, Reaser and Thomas all remain on the roster, but have yet to carve out significant roles after ‘red shirting’ during their rookie seasons.

The 49ers could afford to upgrade the inside linebacker position opposite four-time All-Pro NaVorro Bowman. Before the injury, Smith was considered an ideal candidate to do so at pick No. 7 overall, potentially replacing Patrick Willis who retired in 2015.

Baalke watched Smith play in person when the Irish visited Stanford in November. Smith racked up a season-high 15 tackles in the last-second loss, which essentially knocked Notre Dame out of the hunt for the National Title.

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When healthy, Smith had the rare blend of coverage skills, pass rushing ability, and closing speed, making him one of the most versatile players in the country, along with UCLA’s inside linebacker Myles Jack, who has also been linked to the 49ers.

How Smith’s knee checks out in the coming weeks will determine how far he slips in the draft. If there’s no nerve damage, Smith could be in play as early as the second round, when San Francisco picks 37th overall. But if the nerve damage continues to be a concern, he may fall to the later rounds.

The 49ers have multiple selections in the fourth, fifth and sixth rounds, and lead the league with 12 picks total.