E.J. Smith reportedly signed with the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent after the 2026 NFL Draft, giving the son of Dallas Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith his next shot in the NFL. The running back will try to carve out a place on the Chiefs' roster before the 2026 season begins.
Smith played at Texas A&M and Stanford, finishing his college career with 969 rushing yards and nine touchdowns in 48 collegiate games. He went unselected in the first three days of the draft, then landed with a team that has spent years shuffling through backs while trying to stay atop the league.
His father said the advice was simple before the draft: run his own race, ignore what other people are saying, and trust the work. Emmitt Smith told News Digital that his son has to be himself, hone his craft and put on blinders, the way a horse does at the Kentucky Derby, because the outside noise is just noise.
The Chiefs have had several running backs receive carries since the start of the 2019 season, part of a broader pattern for a team that has cycled through the position even during its dynastic run. They also added more competition this offseason, signing Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III to a multiyear deal, which leaves E.J. Smith fighting for a spot in an already crowded room.
That is the test now. Smith does not need a famous last name to get on the field, but he will need a clean camp and enough production to make the final 53-man roster before the 2026 season opens. For a player who has already heard what people think he should be, the next step is much simpler: play, and let the depth chart answer the rest.
