Smith Selected By Dallas Cowboys In Seventh Round

GREENVILLE, N.C. – Former East Carolina University wide receiver and 2025 First-Team All-American Conference selection Anthony Smith was chosen by the Dallas Cowboys with the second pick in the seventh round (218 overall) of the 2026 National Football League (NFL) Draft Saturday evening.

With his selection, Smith becomes the 10th receiver drafted and follows Zay Jones, who was taken by the Buffalo Bills in the second round (37th overall) in the 2017 draft. He is also the seventh Pirate selected by the Cowboys, 37th offensive player picked and first since offensive lineman D'Ante Smith (139th overall) by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2021.

Career Notes: Four-time letterman (2/East Carolina/2/NC State) … Played in 60 career games making 26 starts (all at ECU) … Tallied 2,140 all-purpose yards (2,095 rcv, 45 rush) … Scored 17 career touchdowns (16 rcv, 1 rush) … Caught 118 passes for 2,095 yards (17.8 avg.) with 16 touchdowns … Closed out career starting 26 consecutive games … Recorded seven 100-plus yard receiving games (3/2024, 4/2025) … Caught at least one pass in 33 of 60 games (multiple 25 times) … Member of consecutive Go Bowling Military Bowl Championship Teams … Named Military Bowl MVP in 2025 … Selected to Associated Press All-Bowl Team in 2025 … Stands eighth all-time in career receiving yards with 1,852 … Ranks 11th on the single-season reception yards list with 1,053 in 2025.

2025 (East Carolina): Earned First Team All-American Conference honors by leagues head coaches … Named Go Bowling Military Bowl MVP after catching four passes for a bowl-record 156 yards with two touchdowns against Pittsburgh … Invited to play and participate in the 2026 American Bowl and the 101st East-West Shrine Bowl … Tabbed a Second Team All-American selection by Phil Steele Magazine … Earned American Conference Honor Roll accolades on Sept. 15 … Named gameday captain for NC State contest … Registered a unit best 781 offensive snaps … Caught 65 passes for 1,053 yards (16.5 avg.) with seven touchdowns … Rushed one time for 45 yards scoring a touchdown at Temple … 20 of 65 receptions went for 15 or more yards … Established new single-game best marks in receptions (11 at Coastal Carolina), reception yards (156 vs. Pittsburgh) and receiving touchdowns (2 vs. Tulsa and Pittsburgh) … Longest career reception was 72 yards for a score against Pittsburgh in the 2025 Go Bowling Military Bowl … Targeted 101 times making 64 grabs … Registered a team-best 359 yards after the catch … His two receiving touchdowns against Pittsburgh in the Military Bowl tied a school post-season record, while his 156 yards are second most by a Pirate in a bowl game … Stood among the FBS leaders (Top 60) in receptions yards (14th), receiving yards per game (20th/81.0 avg.), receiving TDs (38th), yards per reception (46th) and receptions per game (60th/4.92 pg) … Caught at least one pass in all 13 contests (multiple 12 times) … Registered four 100-plus yards in a game four times (136/Coastal Carolina, 150/Tulsa, 143/UTSA, 156/Pittsburgh) … Hauled down touchdown passes against Army, Tulsa (two), Charlotte, UTSA and Pittsburgh (two) … Caught four or more passes in a game eight times … Stood third on the team in scoring with 48 points … Led the Pirates in all-purpose yards (1,098) … Caught 35 passes for 632 yards (18.1 avg.) with five touchdowns in American Conference play … Named First-Team Preseason All-AAC by Athlon Sports, Phil Steele Magazine and Sports Info Solutions ... Named to Biletnikoff Award Watch List.

Smith, a Huntington, Md. Native and Huntington High School product, is the 67th overall ECU player drafted and his selection marks the second consecutive year a Pirate was taken in the draft following Shavon Revel Jr's pick by Dallas a year ago.

ALL-TIME EAST CAROLINA FOOTBALL DRAFT HISTORY
(year, round, pick, overall pick, name, team, pos)
2026, 7, 2, 218, Anthony Smith, Cowboys, WR
2025, 3, 12, 76, Shavon Revel Jr., Cowboys, DB
2021, 4, 34, 139, D'Ante Smith, Bengals, OT
2017, 2, 5, 37, Zay Jones, Bills, WR
2015, 4, 8, 107, Justin Hardy, Falcons, WR
2011, 6, 11, 176, Dwayne Harris, Cowboys, WR
2010, 2, 14, 46, Linval Joseph, Giants, DT
2010, 7, 14, 221, Matt Dodge, Giants, P
2010, 7, 23, 230, C.J. Wilson, Packers, DE
2009, 5, 13, 149, Davon Drew, Ravens, TE
2008, 1, 24, 24, Chris Johnson, Titans, RB
2007, 5, 9, 146, Aundrae Allison, Vikings, WR
2006, 4, 32, 129, Guy Whimper, Giants, OT
2004, 7, 45, 246, Brian Rimpf, Ravens, OT
2002, 4, 10, 108, David Garrard, Jaguars, QB
2002, 7, 30, 241, Leonard Henry, Dolphins, RB
1999, 5, 20, 153, Roderick Coleman, Raiders, DE
1999, 6, 32, 201, Troy Smith, Eagles, WR
1998, 3, 21, 82, Larry Shannon, Dolphins, WR
1997, 5, 1, 131, Lamont Burns, Jets, OG
1996, 4, 16, 111, Emmanuel McDaniel, Panthers, DB
1996, 5, 2, 134, Jerris McPhail, Dolphins, RB
1994, 6, 4, 165, Bernard Carter, Buccaneers, LB
1994, 7, 8, 202, Carlester Crumpler Jr., Seahawks, TE
1993, 6, 8, 148, Tom Scott, Bengals, OT
1992, 1, 24, 24, Robert Jones, Cowboys, LB
1992, 6, 26, 166, Jeff Blake, Jets, QB
1992, 8, 14, 210, Luke Fisher, Vikings, TE
1992, 9, 26, 250, Chris Hall, Cowboys, DB
1992, 10, 22, 274, Dion Johnson, Oilers, WR
1991, 9, 3, 226, Ernie Logan, Falcons, DE
1990, 3, 14, 67, Walter Wilson, Chargers, WR
1990, 5, 1, 110, Junior Robinson, Patriots, DB
1990, 7, 14, 179, James Singletary, Colts, LB
1990, 10, 27, 275, Anthony Thompson, Broncos, LB
1988, 8, 5, 198, Anthony Simpson, Buccaneers, RB
1988, 10, 4, 253, Ellis Dillahunt, Bengals, DB
1986, 6, 27, 165, Kevin Walker, Buccaneers, DB
1986, 10, 3, 252, Tony Baker, Falcons, RB
1985, 3, 24, 80, Stefon Adams, Raiders, DB
1985, 8, 4, 200, Ricky Nichols, Colts, WR
1984, 2, 27, 55, Steve Hamilton, Redskins, DE
1984, 4, 27, 111, Terry Long, Steelers, OG
1984, 5, 3, 115, Clint Harris, Giants, DB
1984, 5, 13, 125, Jeff Pegues, Redskins, LB
1984, 5, 21, 133, Hal Stephens, Rams, DE
1984, 10, 1, 253, Norwood Vann, Rams, TE
1984, 10, 28, 280, Earnest Byner, Browns, RB
1984, 11, 4, 284, John Robertson, Eagles, OT
1983, 2, 18, 46, Jody Schulz, Eagles, LB
1982, 4, 2, 85, George Crump, Patriots, DE
1982, 4, 7, 90, Tootie Robbins, Cardinals, OT
1981, 2, 19, 47, Tony Collins, Patriots, RB
1980, 11, 11, 288, Sam Harrell, Vikings, RB
1980, 12, 9, 314, Mike Brewington, Chiefs, LB
1979, 2, 28, 56, Zack Valentine, Steelers, LB
1979, 6, 21, 158, Eddie Hicks, Giants, RB
1978, 6, 28, 166, Harold Randolph, Cowboys, LB
1977, 6, 27, 166, Reggie Pinkney, Lions, DB
1974, 4, 2, 80, Carl Summerell, Giants, QB
1974, 4, 17, 95, Carlester Crumpler, Bills, RB
1973, 16, 1, 391, Tim Dameron, Oilers, WR
1973, 17, 22, 438, Leslie Strayhorn, Cowboys, RB
1969, 17, 1, 417, Wayne Lineberry, Bills, LB
1964, 14, 5, 187, Tom Michel, Vikings, RB
1961, 5, 8, 64, Glenn Bass, Cardinals, TE
1951, 28, 12, 339, Roger Thrift, Browns, QB

Players Mentioned

Anthony Smith

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