Tyler Smith had to overcome a lot to be an NFL draft pick.
Smith’s path from North Crowley to the Cowboys and a guaranteed $13.38 million contract was far from easy. It was nearly stopped by Blount’s disease, a condition that affects the growth plates of the shin bone around the knee and causes severe bowleggedness. The condition is rare, affecting less than 1% of the population, according to the Cleveland Clinic. At 16, Smith was diagnosed with the disease.
“Let me put it like this: There’s not much more things as painful in life,” Smith said.