The Cowboys Just Brought Emmitt Smith's Son to Dallas, and Yeah, It's as Cool as It Sounds

The Dallas Cowboys held an invite-only workout for local college talent Thursday at The Star, and one name that showed up turned some heads: E.J. Smith, the son of Cowboys Hall of Famer and the NFL's all-time leading rusher, Emmitt Smith. The younger Smith starred at Jesuit High in Dallas before playing college ball at Stanford and finishing his career at Texas A&M.

What the Cowboys Saw on Film

Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer didn't hold back on his impressions. "Very cool," he said. "You know me, man, I'm family. I'm all family. And you watch his film and he was an incredible short-yardage runner, powerful. But, yeah, just watching him move, seeing him in person, the type of young man he is, it's cool."

That assessment matters. Schottenheimer isn't just gushing because of the name. E.J. showed real tape, and the film backed up what scouts saw in person. A powerful runner who could move the chains in tight situations is exactly the kind of back that wins games in the NFL.

Dallas Day Is a Recruiting Superweapon

The Cowboys have weaponized their "Dallas Day" workout like no other team. They pull talent from SMU, TCU, and North Texas, but they also tap into the pipeline of elite college players with Dallas roots. This year's group included LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier from Flower Mound Marcus and Miami center James Brockermeyer from All Saints in Fort Worth.

Here's the thing: not every player actually works out. Some higher-graded prospects just visit with scouts and coaches. While the NFL caps each team at 30 national visitors, the Cowboys maximize that advantage with their Dallas Day designation on top-tier prospects.

"We multiply our top 30," Schottenheimer explained. "We're like top 45, top 48, whatever it is. And it's because of the fact that we've got that location. And our scouting staff does a great job."

That's a built-in advantage that only comes from being headquartered in a college football hotbed. It's the kind of thing that adds up over a whole draft class.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.