The Dallas Cowboys may go into their storied past to help shore up their running game.

Cowboys brass met with Emmitt Smith Jr., the Texas A&M running back who is of course the son of the Hall of Fame running back, as part of their invite-only Dallas Day in Frisco, Texas.

Emmitt Sr., of course, was a 17th overall pick of the 1990 NFL Draft, and he spent his first 13 seasons with the Cowboys. He set the all-time NFL rushing record as a member of the Cowboys and finished with a still-record 18,355 yards over 15 seasons with the Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals.

Dallas will have nine picks over the three-day 2026 NFL Draft, which will take place in Pittsburgh from April 23-25.

Brian Schottenheimer Called Meeting E.J. Smith ‘Very Cool’

The Cowboys have started hosting players with Dallas-area ties to their facility “The Star,” ahead of the draft to see those prospects.

“We’re like top 45, top 48, whatever it is,” Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said of the number of prospects they see. “It’s because of the fact that we’ve got that location, and our scouting staff does a great job.”

E.J. Smith, a 5-11, 215-pound back who played parts of four seasons at Stanford before transferring to Texas A&M for his final two collegiate years, is following in his dad’s footsteps as a draft-eligible running back. The Dallas native was eligible to participate at the annual DFW-area event.

“Very cool,” Schottenheimer said of meeting E.J. Smith and watching him run, according to Todd Archer of ESPN. “You know me, man, I’m family. I’m all family.

“Just watching him move, seeing him in person, the type of young man he is, it’s cool.”

Smith is bigger than his dad but was far less accomplished over his six college seasons, since Emmitt Sr. had nearly 4,000 yards for Florida over his three years in Gainesville.

E.J. rushed for 208 yards and scored four touchdowns in 2025, serving mainly as a goal-line back for Mike Elko’s Aggies. He finished his college career with nine scores on 207 carries.

“You watch his film, and he was an incredible short-yardage runner, powerful,” Schottenheimer said.

E.J. Smith’s Stock is not High

E.J. Smith may have worked out with the Cowboys, but they may not have to spend draft capital to have him in training camp in Oxnard, California.

Smith is projected as an undrafted free agent or late third-day selection in the upcoming draft. Smith’s raw skills were OK, since he ran a 4.59 40-yard dash, bench pressed 225 pounds for 20 reps and broad jumped 10 feet at Texas A&M’s pro day in College Station last month.

But he is only working out for two teams, the Cowboys and Houston Texans, due to the fact he rushed for only 969 yards in five college seasons and never surpassed 218 yards in any season.

So for as cool as it was for Schottenheimer to see Smith, and potentially coach him, it is considered a long shot for Emmitt’s son to don the star on his helmet in a regular-season game at any point.