A former punter who didn't play receiver until his senior year of high school, then broke out for over 1,000 yards at East Carolina.
Anthony Smith spent four quiet years buried on the depth chart at NC State before transferring to East Carolina, where he turned into one of the American Conference's top receivers. The Maryland native was selected by Dallas in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft after a breakout 1,000-yard season.
Path to the league
Smith didn't play football his first two years at Huntingtown High School in Maryland due to his size, serving as the team's punter as a junior before moving to receiver as a senior, when he posted 918 yards and 14 touchdowns. He spent four seasons at NC State with minimal production before transferring to East Carolina in 2024, and Dallas selected him in the seventh round, 218th overall, of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Career highlights
Smith's college numbers were modest at NC State, totaling just 13 catches for 243 yards and three touchdowns across four seasons there. His move to East Carolina unlocked his talent, and across two seasons with the Pirates he caught 105 passes for 1,852 yards and 13 touchdowns, finishing his six-year college career with 118 receptions for 2,095 yards and 16 touchdowns.
2025 season recap
Smith had a breakout senior season at East Carolina in 2025, catching 64 passes for a career-high 1,053 yards and seven touchdowns, and earning First-Team All-American Conference honors. He capped the year by winning Military Bowl MVP with a 156-yard, two-touchdown performance, production that helped him land with Dallas as a seventh-round pick.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Anthony Smith (wide receiver)
- East Carolina University Athletics: Smith Selected By Dallas Cowboys In Seventh Round
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Wide Receiver
- Group
- offense
- College
- East Carolina
- Hometown
- Huntingtown, MD, USA
- Age
- 24
- Status
- active
