Texas A&M '20 TX ATH - E.J. Smith (Texas A&M Transfer)

Rivals.com
24/7Sports

5'10" | 185 lbs | WR
Jesuit
Dallas, TX
CLASS OF 2020

Ohio State has offered.

 

Ohio State dishes out a scholarship offer to 2020 RB EJ Smith, the son of NFL great Emmitt Smith https://t.co/tJl7MUCoOb

— Land-Grant Holy Land (@Landgrant33) December 28, 2017

 

A STRONG LINEAGE

Earlier this week, offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson talked about how Ohio State's appearance in Friday's Cotton Bowl could pay dividends down the road with some of Texas' top underclassmen. After all, the program's 2015 national championship win in that very stadium played a rather large role in running back J.K. Dobbins, cornerback Jeffrey Okudah and linebacker Baron Browning choosing the Buckeyes in the last recruiting cycle.

So this week, Ohio State's staff has reached out to several top targets in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and invited some — like Allen four-star quarterback Grant Tisdale — to watch practice. The Buckeyes also hosted Cowboys legend and NFL Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith on Wednesday, at which time they extended a scholarship offer to his son, Dallas Jesuit running back Emmitt “E.J.” Smith IV.

The 5-foot-10, 180-pound Smith is not yet ranked by any major recruiting sites, but is there any doubt in your mind he'll be among the top-rated all-purpose backs in the Class of 2020? He rushed for 1,177 yards and 24 touchdowns and racked up 540 receiving yards and seven more scores for the Rangers this season, and picked up offers from Georgia, Jackson State, Kentucky and SMU as a result.

Smith attended the practice with his father, but NCAA rules prevent him from having in-person contact with the staff during college football's recruiting dead period — there can only be electrontic communication through Jan. 11.

The elder Smith, you may recall, played his college ball at Florida, where Ohio State's Urban Meyer coached from 2005-10. He was in attendance for all three of Meyer's national championship wins.

 

Check out Freshman Highlights by EJ Smith on @hudl https://t.co/4XApfPf7aK #hudl

— OSUBasketballJunkie (@ScarletBuckeye2) December 29, 2017

 

Ohio State made use of its Cotton Bowl location this week by offering Emmitt Smith's son, 2020 running back EJ Smith https://t.co/AQwxn8Eexl

— Bill Landis (@BillLandis25) December 28, 2017

 

Emmitt Smith’s son EJ has moves like his dad https://t.co/Yfqs3uALFy pic.twitter.com/d6s459EXSO

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 29, 2017

 

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2020 Dallas four-star running back Emmitt “E.J.” Smith IV (@ejsmith_22): pic.twitter.com/5JivqWIsgI

— Andrew Lind (@AndrewMLind) April 14, 2018

 

EJ Smith, son of legendary Dallas Cowboy RB Emmitt Smith, impressed with first Ohio State visit. https://t.co/hMHBwGnkhC

— Bill Kurelic (@Bill_Kurelic) April 17, 2018

 

Son of #Cowboys legend talks great first Buckeye visit (VIP via @Bill_Kurelic)https://t.co/IdsdScRpRX

— Bucknuts (@Bucknuts247) April 18, 2018

 

HIS OWN PATH
If you’re someone who enjoyed watching the National Football League in the 1990s, you’re about to feel real old.

That’s because Dallas Jesuit four-star running back Emmitt “E.J.” Smith IV — the son of the Hall of Famer of the same name — was among the dozens of prospects in attendance for Ohio State’s Spring Game last weekend. He made the trip with his father, mother and sister.

“My family and I enjoyed spending time with the coaches,” Smith told Eleven Warriors. “They were honest. They didn’t just tell me what I wanted to hear, but they also told me what I needed to improve on.”

The 5-foot-11, 190-pound Smith is considered the second-best all-purpose back and No. 184 prospect overall in the Class of 2020, as he rushed for 1,177 yards and 24 touchdowns to lead the Rangers to the state playoffs last season. The Buckeyes offered him a scholarship in December while in Dallas for the Cotton Bowl, a game which the aforementioned Wilson likened to the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship as one that could play dividends down the road with some of the Lone Star State’s top underclassmen.

“I wonder what impact that had on Mr. [J.K] Dobbins sitting over there. Or [linebacker] Baron Browning, who's from Kennedale. Or [cornerback] Jeffrey Okudah,” Wilson said during his Cotton Bowl media availability. “They were high school 10th graders at that time. The game was played here, and a couple of those kids are [Dallas-Fort Worth] metroplex kids.”

Naturally, Ohio State pointed out those connections. And Smith paid close attention to Dobbins during his visit, too.

“I noticed his knowledge of the game and saw how focused he was,” Smith said.

The elder Smith — you may recall — was a three-time Super Bowl champion and eight-time pro bowler with the Dallas Cowboys. He was named the most valuable player of Super Bowl XXVIII and finished his career as the league’s all-time leading rusher.

Once his playing days were over, though, Smith became a regular on the sidelines at his alma mater, Florida. That’s when he met Meyer, who coached the Gators from 2005-10.

That familiarity certainly helps the Buckeyes in pursuit of his son.

“He really cares about his players and how he wants them to not only be successful on the field, but off [it, as well],” the younger Smith said.

In addition to Ohio State, Smith holds early offers from Arkansas, Boston College, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, SMU, Stanford and Texas A&M. Most just assume he’ll just follow in his father’s footsteps at play his college ball in Gainesville, but that’s not a foregone conclusion.

“My recruitment is definitely open,” Smith said. “My dad wants me to be my own man.”

Smith plans to return to campus again soon, but does not have another visit set in stone just yet.

 

[MUST WATCH] 🔥🔥 Son of the Dallas Cowboy LEGEND | EJ Smith | Class of 2020 | All-Purpose Back | 5'11 190 | Dallas Jesuit (TX) @ejsmith_22
🎥 https://t.co/ZPcVy6DzFu

— UnderTheRadar (@_UnderTheRadar_) July 8, 2018

 

Dallas Jesuit's RB/WR E.J. Smith is a flat #NextLevel phenom and won an MVP award at the #Prime21 Camp today. @ejsmith_22 @SkysTheLimitWR @DeionSanders pic.twitter.com/y2uGT6UeWJ

— Greg Powers 🏟️ (@GPowersScout) July 15, 2018

 

Son of former Dallas Cowboy great has #OhioState as a top choice, wants to visit #Buckeyes again. VIP https://t.co/5onvo0iDp8

— Bill Kurelic (@Bill_Kurelic) July 23, 2018

 

A former #Cowboys legend’s son continues to be interested in the #Buckeyes (VIP via @Bill_Kurelic)https://t.co/hObSgNYsHU

— Bucknuts (@Bucknuts247) August 7, 2018

 

Legendary Dallas Cowboys RB @EmmittSmith22 and his stud RB son @ejsmith_22 who #Buckeyes have offered, will be at the #OhioState - #TCU game. EJ talks Buckeyes. VIP https://t.co/oGiB612nMG

— Bill Kurelic (@Bill_Kurelic) September 12, 2018

 

Legendary #Cowboys running back Emmit Smith’s son discusses the #Buckeyes win over #PennState and more (VIP via @Bill_Kurelic)https://t.co/3azxur78NP

— Bucknuts (@Bucknuts247) October 3, 2018