Four-Star RB EJ Smith Commits to Stanford

Four-star RB EJ Smith, son of Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith, has committed to the Cardinal.

Four-star running back EJ Smith announced his commitment to Stanford on Wednesday, the first day of the early signing period.

Smith, the son of Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith, is ranked No. 144 overall in the nation by 247 Sports, the No. 3 all-purpose back and the No. 23 recruit in Texas.

The 5'11", 199-pound senior from Dallas Jesuit received over 20 offers from schools. He narrowed down his list to Georgia, Ohio State, Texas A&M, Stanford and Florida, where his father played collegiately.

After EJ Smith put on a Stanford hat during his announcement, Emmitt Smith jokingly put on a Florida cap. 

"I can wear this hat but he doesn't have to wear this hat," Emmitt Smith told ESPN2. "His daddy went there, but that doesn't mean that my son has to go there. At the end of the day, my son has his own journey and it is his journey, not my journey. For him to do the things that are best for him is what we teach all of our children. I'm proud of him for standing up and being the man that he is and the man that he will continue to become."

Emmitt Smith was asked about his son EJ Smith choosing Stanford, any advice he gave him after going thru processs, picking Gators.

Emmitt put on UF hat, said his journey is his journey, his son’s journey is his son’s journey. Great message. pic.twitter.com/hNykkFpZTp

— Will Sammon (@WillSammon) December 18, 2019

Smith played both running back and receiver at Dallas Jesuit. He attempted 165 rushes for 905 yards and 22 touchdowns and caught 34 passes for 513 yards. He joins Stanford as one of the top prospects in coach David Shaw's 2020 recruiting class. The Cardinal has 17 other recruits who have signed their letters of intent, including five-star offensive lineman Myles Hinton from Norcross, Ga.

Emmitt Smith played at Florida for three seasons and had 700 carries for 3,928 yards with 36 touchdowns. He spent 15 seasons in the NFL, went to eight Pro Bowls and won three Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys. Smith is the NFL's all-time leading rusher (18,355 yards) and holds the record for rushing attempts (4,409) and rushing touchdowns (164).

For more recruiting news visit SI All-American and check out the signing day live blog.