Aldon Smith drawing rave reviews at Cowboys training camp

The Dallas Cowboys have given Aldon Smith an opportunity to revive his career, and it sounds like the star pass-rusher is making the most of it in training camp.

Both teammates and coaches have taken note of the way Smith has been dominating in practice. New Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy told the media on Thursday that Smith is standing out among his teammates.

Mike McCarthy on if he has no idea who Aldon Smith was, what would he after 3 days of practice: I would say that if you walked away from practice, you’d say, hey, the who hell was No. 58? That’s my thought when he walked out on the field for the first time. He looks good#Cowboys

— Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) August 20, 2020

Those teammates have felt Smith’s presence, too. Dak Prescott, who has had to go against Smith in practice, described the 30-year-old as a “monster” and said he has not lost a step with all his time away from playing.

“He’s a monster,” Prescott told reporters. “Damn sure doesn’t look like he hasn’t played in five years. A great player.”

Smith has not appeared in a game since 2015, but he said he is a “better person” now and expects to play at a high level. The former first-round pick has had numerous run-ins with the law and well-documented substance abuse issues, but his talent is undeniable. Smith had a 19.5-sack season with the San Francisco 49ers in 2012. While he may not be able to duplicate that, it sounds like he’s going to give Dallas a significant boost.