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

Heading back to Columbus for the weekend✈️ pic.twitter.com/w8XJ0npzv1

— EJ (@ejsmith_22) November 23, 2018

 

Texas running back E.J. Smith makes Ohio State trip
Ohio State has one running back committed in 2020. But the Buckeyes are on the prowl for a second, and Dallas (Texas) Jesuit 4-star prospect E.J. Smith has been a high-priority target for months. His famous father, Emmitt Smith, knew Urban Meyer during his Florida days and visited the Buckeyes for their spring game in April. He returned to Ohio State for the Michigan game this past weekend — and, no surprise, he had a good visit, too.


Ohio State has now hosted Texas 2020 running back EJ Smith twice in 2018. (BIrm/Lettermen Row)

“I enjoyed it,” the country’s second-best all-purpose back in the Class of 2020 told Lettermen Row. “The unity that they have there is special. The number of alumni that came back shows how much they care for each other and the school, and it was a very loud stadium. It was cool to see.”

Running backs coach Tony Alford has been leading the charge for Smith, but he’s also become close with the 2020 commits and was glad to spend time with that group this past weekend.

“I’m pretty good friends with Paris and the other guys,” the 6-foot-tall, 190-pound Smith said.”It’s cool to know their perspective and why they committed to Ohio State.”

 

I am honored to announce that I have received an offer from Arizona State University. Thank you for the opportunity. pic.twitter.com/rkA493l6hQ

— EJ (@ejsmith_22) February 13, 2019

 

I am honored to announce that I have received an offer from Ole Miss. Thank you for the opportunity. pic.twitter.com/wBxfseVdgj

— EJ (@ejsmith_22) February 13, 2019

 

Traveled to Fort Worth this weekend. Thank you for the visit. pic.twitter.com/hourjVHNix

— EJ (@ejsmith_22) February 17, 2019

 

I am honored to announce that I have received an offer from Louisiana State University. Thank you for the opportunity. pic.twitter.com/XZ28IJVkRE

— EJ (@ejsmith_22) February 20, 2019

 

EJ Smith maintains Ohio State interest
Ohio State needs a pair of running backs in the Class of 2020, and Dallas Jesuit tailback EJ Smith remains a viable and qualified candidate to take one of those spots. Smith visited the Buckeyes multiple times in 2018 but was no doubt affected when Urban Meyer decided to hang up his whistle in December. He’s kept in some contact with Ohio State since then but not had many conversations with Day yet.

“I haven’t been in contact with Coach Day recently but he is very interested in my life outside of football,” Smith told Lettermen Row. “I do not see a difference in the program yet because I haven’t been back to Ohio State since the Michigan game.”

The country’s second-ranked all-purpose backs says he speaks to Day and running backs coach Tony Alford “occasionally,” but it’s clear there has been a drop off in communication since his most recent visit at the end of November. A return trip to Columbus is something he’d like to do, but nothing is planned to this point.

 

Another huge offer Dallas 2020 RB EJ Smith - Bama yesterday, Stanford today https://t.co/cajGAfvtuf

— Jeremy Birmingham (@Birm) March 8, 2019

 

I am honored to announce that I have received an offer from The University of Texas. Thank you for the opportunity. pic.twitter.com/q5XZ0cFjE3

— EJ (@ejsmith_22) March 26, 2019

 

Love four-star ATH EJ Smith (@ejsmith_22) pic.twitter.com/8oUPRcZ2bp

— "EJ Holland" (@EJHollandOn3) April 19, 2019

 

EJ Smith is coming off a visit to #Stanford and will put his suitcase away until the fall. The Rivals100 ATH details his spring tour, including the trip out West, and breaks down the five schools pushing hardest for his commitment and best fits

➡️ https://t.co/ng1n3TrlLH pic.twitter.com/E6Uv8jEOlm

— Sam Spiegelman (@samspiegs) May 14, 2019

 

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E.J. Smith includes Ohio State in Top 5 list
The Buckeyes are chasing a couple of the country’s top-ranked running backs and have hosted a handful of them over the past few weeks. In the midst of all the attention being paid to guys like Bijan Robinson, Kendall Milton and others, perhaps Dallas Jesuit 4-star standout E.J. Smith has fallen through the attention cracks.

Smith, the country’s fourth-ranked all-purpose back, released his top-five schools on Twitter on Sunday evening and included the Buckeyes on that shortened list.

Ohio State has hosted the 5-foot-11, 200-pound on multiple occasions. He and his family also remain in very regular contact with Buckeyes running backs coach Tony Alford. There is no decision expected from Smith until the end of his senior season and he will make his official visits in the fall.

Ohio State should get one.

 

Legendary @dallascowboys legacy close to locking in #OhioState official visit. VIP https://t.co/bzIIIAClhH

— Bill Kurelic (@Bill_Kurelic) June 26, 2019

 

EJ Smith
First, EJ Smith, son of Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith and the No. 4 all-purpose back in the 2020 class released his top-five, and it included Ohio State. Smith also added Stanford, Texas A&M, Georgia and Florida.

When it comes to the discussion of running backs in the 2020 class, Smith is one that frequently is left out of conversation, but now that targets like DeaMonte Trayanum, Blake Corum and JuTahn McClain are all committed and talks with Mike Drennen have slowed, Smith's intentions become more amplified.

Tony Alford has a good relationship with Smith, and Smith has seen Ohio State play three times – at the 2018 spring game, against TCU at AT&T Stadium in Dallas and against Michigan in November. 247Sports is also reporting that he has nearly set an official visit for the Penn State game Nov. 23. That's the same weekend that LSU cornerback commit Elias Ricks will be making an official visit too.

It's looking like it will be a late decision for Smith, potentially a signing day decision, so the running back discussions aren't slowing down this summer.

 

“I never taught him how to run the football... as far as him running the ball and seeing the field, that’s a gift from God above.” @ejsmithiv_22 @BleacherReport pic.twitter.com/HFSCLuKFiM

— Emmitt Smith (@EmmittSmith22) July 10, 2019

 

EJ Smith

Four-star Dallas all-purpose back EJ Smith, the son of NFL Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith, is a crazy talented running back, who at 5-foot-11, 198 pounds, has shown a good ability to run between the tackles and catch the ball. He included Ohio State in his top-five and has a good relationship with running backs coach Tony Alford. He played on the same 7-on-7 team as Gee Scott Jr., Julian Fleming and Lejond Cavazos too, but with Ohio State likely adding Jaylan Knighton, who is already a running back-first all-purpose back like Smith, it’s tough to see Smith choosing the Buckeyes over Stanford or in-state Texas A&M.

 

WATCH — The Opening Final Cut: Check out highlights of highly-coveted four-star running back EJ Smith in action during his time in Texas. https://t.co/BONIMe9L92@ejsmith_22 @TheOpening
@247Sports pic.twitter.com/BRGCR0xvr2

— Tom Loy (@TomLoy247) July 13, 2019

 

Is E.J. Smith the next Ohio State option at running back?
If everything goes as it seems like it will, Ohio State will enter its fall football camp without a 2020 running back committed after feeling for the last month like it would have two.

So where do the Buckeyes turn from here? That’s the biggest question on the recruiting trail for the program right now, and I don’t think that there’s an absolute answer. I’m also not sure there can be until it’s decided whether or not the recent course of events has derailed the plan to sign a pair in 2020 or if the focus now becomes landing just one and counting on a two-for-one in 2021.

Whether it’s one or two guys who end up in the class, there’s going to be some serious shifting of the Buckeyes recruiting board in the near future. And they’re likely to turn to a handful of young players they’ve already been recruiting for a while. The first of those players is E.J. Smith, the son of the NFL’s all-time leading rusher Emmitt Smith.


Dallas 2020 running back E.J. Smith has made multiple trips to Ohio State. (Birm/Lettermen Row)

The contact between the Ohio State staff and Smith has never waned, and he’s not expected to make a decision until after his senior season. So, there’s plenty of time for the Buckeyes to sort out their plans and to show Smith that he’s now the guy for them. He’s more similar to Knighton than Bijan Robinson, though, so that’s where the real question comes in: Is there a bell-cow running back out there for Ohio State in 2020?