EJ Smith, son of Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith, declares for 2026 NFL Draft
DALLAS - Local Dallas native and Jesuit College Prep alum, EJ Smith, son of former Dallas Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith, has declared for the 2026 NFL Draft.
Football career of EJ Smith
What we know:
EJ graduated from Jesuit High School as a 4-star runningback and was rated as the No. 48 prospect in the Class of 2020, according to ESPN.
He then went on to enroll and play football at Stanford, earning high remarks from Stanford head coach, David Shaw, calling Smith "the total package" and "one of the best backs in America" going into the 2022 season, where he made an appearance on the 2022 Doak Walker Award watch list.
NASHVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 18: Stanford Cardinal running back E.J. Smith (22) during the game between the Stanford Cardinal and the Vanderbilt Commodores at on September 18, 2021, at Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Michael Wade/I
Entering the 2022 season as the starting runningback at Stanford, Smith was off to the start that everyone expected, taking his opening carry 87 yards for a touchdown and accumulating 206 yards on 30 carries and 3 touchdowns over the next two games. Smith also showed off his versatility in the pass game by also catching 8 passes for 63 yards and a touchdown. But following the second game of the season, Coach Shaw announced that EJ Smith would miss the remainder of the season due to an undisclosed injury.
EJ Smith spent the following season with the Stanford Cardinals but never finished a game with more than nine carries. The Stanford Cardinals finished 3-9, losing five of their last six games. EJ Smith announced he was entering the transfer portal, after playing 24 total games in his four seasons with the team.
Transfer to Texas A&M
Dig deeper:
Smith announced his transfer back to his home state and transferred to Texas A&M in January 2024.
AUSTIN, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 28: EJ Smith #22 of the Texas A&M Aggies celebrates a fourth quarter touchdown against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on November 28, 2025 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Im
Over the next two seasons, the son of the Hall of Famer only carried the ball the fourth most of any running back in the Aggies offense, behind two other 4-star recruits in Amari Daniels and Le’Veon Moss, and former 5-star Reuben Owens II.
Declares for 2026 NFL Draft
What's next:
Despite never living up to collegiate expectations, EJ Smith still accumulated nearly 1,500 total yards and 10 total touchdowns in 48 games. Smith declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft gives NFL teams an opportunity to see his size and athleticism be displayed at the NFL Combine and possibly raise his draft stock.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by ESPN.