Which Former Dallas Cowboys Family Member Will Have a Better Season: Irvin or Smith?

Dylan Grausz | Aug 29, 2024

Sep 10, 2022; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal running back E.J. Smith (22) runs with the football during the first quarter against the USC Trojans at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports / Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports

The 2024 Stanford Cardinal will see a fair amount of change as the team takes the field for their week one matchup against TCU. One of those changes will be in the backfield, where gone are last year’s main ball carriers in Casey Filkins and the son of Dallas Cowboys' legend Emmitt Smith, E.J., paving the way for sophomore runner Sedrick Irvin to handle a majority of Stanford’s carries. Smith transferred over to Texas A&M in order to get a fresh start and fight for a starting role in his final season of college football. The Cardinal backfield now boasts Sedrick Irvin, a cousin, once removed, of Michael Irvin as the presumed lead back. So who will have the more productive campaign?

Last season, Irvin was fifth on the team in rushing, carrying the ball 26 times for 113 yards, averaging 4.3 yards per carry in his true freshman season. Those numbers came despite him being buried on the depth chart behind both Filkins and Smith while also having the two quarterbacks, Ashton Daniels and Justin Lamson, being the team’s top two leading rushers. 

However, heading into 2024, Irvin is listed as the top running back on the depth chart, with both freshmen Micah Ford and Chris Davis Jr. also expected to get significant reps. But, Irvin is the established veteran of the group, with only junior Ryan Butler, who is listed as the third string back, having more experience. Despite having Ford and Davis listed as guys who could get meaningful carries, Irvin will be first in line and should expect to see a major increase in production.

Smith, who announced in November of 2023 that he would enter the portal, settled on Texas A&M in January hoping to find a place to be the featured back in his last year of eligibility. But training camp so far has created a big running back competition down in College Station that ultimately ended up with Smith being named as the third running back to begin the season, listed behind last year’s top two team rushers in Amari Daniels and Le’Veon Moss. And with both Daniels and Moss proving themselves last season, carries could come at a premium for Smith, at least to start the year. But if he continues to put together good practices, his experience could lead to him eventually factoring in in a bigger role.

Now comes the bottom line. Both running backs will be out to prove themselves this season, eager to not only be impact players for their teams but also evolve into program superstars. With that being said, here are the final stat predictions for both Smith and Irvin.

Irvin: 175 carries, 890 yards, 5.0 YPC, eight touchdowns

Smith: 90 carries, 360 yards, 4.0 YPC, three touchdowns