Smith Up For Nat'l Player Of The Year

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - Bishop Luers senior Jaylon Smith is one of 16 candidates for the biggest award in high school football.

Smith is up for the U.S. Army Player of the Year award, a national honor given to the country's best prep football player.

The list of 16 candidates will be pared down to six finalists on November 28. The winner will be announced as the U.S. Army Awards Dinner on January 4.

Smith has verbally committed to Notre Dame is planning to sign with the Irish in February. He is rated as the nation's no. 3 prospect by recruiting website Rivals.com and is ranked as the number one outside linebacker for the class of 2013.

Here is a list of the 16 candidates:

Montravius Adams, DL, Dooly County (Ga.) — uncommitted
Max Browne, QB, Skyline (Wash.) — USC
Greg Bryant, RB, American Heritage (Fla.) — uncommitted
Su’a Cravens, DB, Vista Murrieta (Calif.) — USC
Kendall Fuller, DB, Good Counsel (Md.) — Virginia Tech
Derrick Green, RB, Hermitage (Va.) — uncommitted
Vernon Hargreaves, DB, Tampa-Wharton — Florida
Derrick Henry, RB, Yulee — Alabama
Carl Lawson, DL, Milton (Ga.) — Auburn
Mike Mitchell, LB, Prestonwood Christian (Texas) — uncommitted
Robert Nkemdiche, DL, Grayson (Ga.) — uncommitted
Jalen Ramsey, DB, Brentwood Academy (Tenn.) — USC
Jaylon Smith, LB, Bishop Luers (Ind.) — Notre Dame
Laquon Treadwell, WR, Crete Monee (Ill.) — uncommitted
Laremy Tunsil, OL, Lake City-Columbia — uncommitted
Thomas Tyner, RB, Aloha (Ore.) — Oregon