The Pontiff's Second Miracle: Pennsylvania Linebacker Justice Smith

"Have no fear of moving into the unknown. Simply step out fearlessly knowing that I am with you, therefore no harm can befall you; all is very, very well. Do this in complete faith and confidence.”

— Pope John Paul II

The Vatican announced that the late Pope John Paul II was beatified on May 1. Beatification, which requires church certification of a miracle by the would-be saint, is sort of a halfway house on the way to full sainthood, which takes two miracles.

The first miracle, the curing of a French nun's Parkinson's Disease by the late pontiff, is already in the books. The second miracle could have been sophomore linebacker Justice Smith at John Paul II's namesake high school in Royersford, Pennsylvania.
 
The 6'0", 200-pound Smith is the kind of jolting hitter that makes The Little Sisters of the Poor snap their rosaries while in attendance at his Keystone State Catholic League tilts.

Novenas are on speed dial as Justice lays down the law and flattens out opposing running backs. A relentless pursuer of the football, Smith is a workout freak who excels in the classroom (3.67 GPA in all honors class) and is already an established role model for his teammates, despite his status as an underclassman.
 
When talented freshman tailback Nick Howarth (25 TDs in his eighth grade league) suffered a devastating hip injury two games into last season, it was Justice Smith who inspired the young running back to focus on the recovery ahead and bounce back better than ever.
 
"When I went down, I definitely looked to Justice for guidance. He knows how to motivate. He may only be 15, but he is already one of our leaders. He's always in the weight room getting big. [He] does a lot of speed training. Justice played great linebacker for us this year too. He's one of the hardest hitters I've ever seen. A sure tackler. He's going to be All-State real soon!"
 
Justice Smith was one of the stars of JuniorRank's McDavid Academic All-American Showcase in Tempe, AZ in late December. His natural instincts and ability to stuff the run while defending the pass got him noticed by the former NFL greats who serve as instructors.
 
"I work hard to be known as a complete player. I try to excel at every facet of the game. I don't like coming out. Ever. The big hits and the sacks are nice, but I take just as much pride in my coverage skills. I love chasing down people. I model my game after the Green Bay Packers' Clay Matthews, minus the hair!" said the soft-spoken but confident Smith.
 
"The entire JuniorRank experience was spot on. I've been to other camps and combines. None was as intense as the Tempe event. I got to see how I stacked up against the very best linebackers in the nation. I learned a lot from the coaches. The experience made me a better player!"
 
The next opportunity to shine for Justice was at JuniorRank's Diamond Flight Camp at Plymouth Whitemarsh HS in the Philly suburbs on June 10-12.

If he impressed enough, he could earn a return trip to Arizona at year's end for the Proving Ground Underclassmen Showcase hosted by recruiting guru Tom Lemming. Top seniors will be selected for the inaugural US Marines High School Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl. Both events will be nationally telecast and run in conjunction with the BCS Fiesta Bowl.

Justice Smith is precisely the prototype defender D-I programs crave. He is a solid "A" scholar who enjoys doing community service, a classy character kid who is a leader on and off the football field, and he has the kind of jaw dropping linebacker skills that open college scouts' eyes.

Not sure if Smith's upcoming junior campaign will be enough to elevate JPII to saint level. But if Justice keeps improving over the next two seasons, Reverend Okon (JPII's president) might want to add a special Big 33 blessing for fallen foes on the school's Friday afternoon prayer hotline.

Dan Picca is a contributor for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted or linked, all quotes were obtained first-hand.