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EJ Smith will be working out for the Dallas Cowboys.
EJ Smith IV, the son of Dallas Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith, declared for the 2026 NFL Draft in late December after six seasons of college football at Stanford and Texas A&M.
He’s not expected to be selected, but with Dallas looking to add depth at running back, the younger Smith could land with the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent — a move that would carry enormous sentimental value and some on-field upside.
Smith confirmed on March 25 that he will work out for the Cowboys during the team’s annual Dallas Day event, which allows the organization to bring in local prospects for pre-draft workouts.
Smith, who was born and raised in Dallas and attended Jesuit College Prep, qualifies as a local product. It is the clearest signal yet that the two sides have mutual interest.
A Look Back at EJ Smith’s College Days
Texas A&M RB EJ Smith said he has a workout with the Cowboys next week and the #Texans in two weeks.
Smith is the son of Cowboys legendary running back Emmitt Smith.
Smith was a four-star recruit out of Jesuit and the No. 48 overall prospect in the Class of 2020. That year started with promise. Smith ripped off an 87-yard touchdown on his first carry and amassed 206 rushing yards with three touchdowns over his first two games. But an undisclosed injury ended his season, and he never recaptured a starting role at Stanford. After four years with the Cardinal, he entered the transfer portal and landed at Texas A&M in January of 2024.
At A&M, Smith found himself behind Le’Veon Moss and Rueben Owens II in a crowded backfield. Over two seasons with the Aggies, he carried the ball 98 times for 412 yards and was used primarily as a short-yardage option. He also show a knack for catching passes out of the backfield. He finished his college career with 969 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on the ground, along with 468 receiving yards on 72 receptions and one receiving TD across 48 games.
His career average of 4.7 yards per carry is intriguing, but NFL Draft Buzz projects Smith as a likely UDFA candidate.
Where EJ Smith, Son of Team Legend Emmitt, Could Fit in if the Dallas Cowboys Sign Him
GettyEmmitt Smith’s son EJ is heading to Dallas for a pre-draft workout for the Cowboys.
The Cowboys re-signed Javonte Williams to a three-year, $24 million deal this offseason after he rushed for 1,201 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2025, the best season of his career. Behind him, Malik Davis, Jaydon Blue, Phil Mafah and Israel Abanikanda are all competing for roster spots.
Blue, a fifth-round pick out of Texas in 2025, managed just 65 yards on 22 carries before being passed up on the depth chart by Davis. Mafah is still developing. The Cowboys also know that Williams’ health is not guaranteed — he has never carried this kind of workload for an extended stretch.
Considering Dallas’ current question marks at running back, Smith’s receiving ability and pass-blocking skills could help him carve out a niche in Brian Schottenheimer’s offense.
It’s easy to see the emotional appeal in adding EJ. His father Emmitt spent 13 seasons with the Cowboys, rushing for 18,355 career yards to become the NFL’s all-time leading rusher — a record that still stands and is widely considered unbreakable. He won three Super Bowls alongside Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin, earned the 1993 NFL MVP award and the Super Bowl XXVIII MVP, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010.
At 5-foot-11 and 211 pounds with legitimate versatility, EJ is a camp body right now — but he does have a chance to stick. In a league where undrafted RBs regularly earn roster spots, stranger things have happened.
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