Anthony
Smith.
Anthony
Smith.
East Carolina· 6'2"· 197 lb· 4.45s 40
R7 · #218 · Dallas Cowboys"A field-stretching X in the Robert Woods size mold, but used as a pure deep threat: the frame and vertical production are real, and the NFL role depends on adding the short and intermediate route craft he never had to show at East Carolina."Pre-draft read
This tall, slender receiver aligns to stretch the defense, accelerating quickly to close the cushion against corners. Once the defender turns their hips, he possesses the long speed to run past them, enabling his vertical threat. When the ball is thrown deep along the sideline, he effectively uses his wingspan to attack the high point of the catch without drifting out of bounds.
His route tree is narrow, with separation on short routes relying more on release burst than on advanced break technique. Against tight coverage, his catch rate decreases. Physical press at the line of scrimmage is problematic due to his slight build; contact often disrupts his timing and delays his route. After the catch, he functions primarily as a straight-line runner rather than a creator of additional yardage.
The Dallas Cowboys run a spread pass-first offense that incorporates wide zone, gap schemes, and play-action to attack all levels of the field effectively.
A Year 1 special teams contributor and rotational deep threat who develops into a full-time starter with a more refined route tree.
Any ball-control offense that prioritizes short-area quickness and YAC over vertical stretching.
Anthony Smith is a high-upside developmental player whose measurable speed and size have a place in the NFL, but his limited route tree and slight build mean his value is highly scheme-dependent.
Anthony Smith Highlights | Dallas Cowboys Wide Receiver | East Carolina | 2026 NFL Draft
ANTHONY SMITH (East Carolina) II Full 2025 Highlights
ANTHONY SMITH (East Carolina) II Full 2024 Highlights
Smith projects as a vertical-threat receiver whose primary value is stretching the defense with his deep speed and length. A team acquiring him is buying a specialized tool capable of making plays downfield and in contested situations. His 1.49 ten-yard split confirms his explosive initial burst, which he leverages to gain an advantage off the line.
His career saw him primarily used as an outside receiver after transferring to East Carolina where he became a key target, accumulating 105 catches, 1,852 yards, and thirteen touchdowns in two seasons. At NC State, he had a marginal role for four years, but his transition to East Carolina allowed his deep-threat profile to emerge, culminating in a 1,000-yard season and Military Bowl MVP honors in 2025.
Concerns centered on his narrow route tree, limited short-area separation, and slight build that exposed him to disruption against physical press coverage. His advanced age for a developmental prospect, turning 24 during his final college season, was also noted. Despite these flags, the Cowboys selected him in the seventh round at pick 218, indicating a perceived fit for a deep-field specialist with special teams potential.
- 01
Vertical Speed
Vertical speed stretches the defense, reflected in his 17.8 yards per reception career average.
- 02
Play Above DBs
Excellent catch radius with 6'5" wingspan, playing above defensive backs on high boundary throws.
- 03
Explosive Initial Burst
Explosive initial burst, confirmed by a 1.49 ten-yard split and 36-inch vertical jump.
- 04
Rising Production
Rising production at East Carolina, accumulating 799 yards in 2024 and 1,053 yards in 2025.
- 05
Military Bowl MVP
Big-play performance in 2025, earning Military Bowl MVP with 156 yards and two touchdowns.
- 01
Narrow Route Tree
Route tree is narrow, with most production from go routes, posts, and deep crossers.
- 02
Limited Short Separation
Limited short-area separation, struggling to uncover on quick and intermediate routes against tight coverage.
- 03
Vulnerable to Press
Slight build makes him vulnerable to disruption from physical press coverage at the line of scrimmage.
- 04
Advanced Age
Advanced age for a developmental player, turning 24 during his final collegiate season.
Relative Athletic Score (Kent Lee Platte) benchmarks combine/pro-day numbers against every measured prospect at the position since 1987. 10.00 is elite; 5.00 is average.
— — — positional median (p50)
- 40 yd
- 4.45sp50
- Vertical
- 36inp50
- Broad jump
- 123inp50
- Three-cone
- 6.94sp50
- Shuttle
- 4.28sp50
- Bench
- 12repp50
| Yr | Team | G | Rec | Yds | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | NC State | 7 | 5 | 69 | 1 |
| 2021 | NC State | 12 | 4 | 97 | 1 |
| 2022 | NC State | 4 | 2 | 58 | 1 |
| 2023 | NC State | 10 | 2 | 19 | 0 |
| 2024 | East Carolina | 13 | 41 | 799 | 6 |
| 2025 | East Carolina | 13 | 64 | 1053 | 7 |
| Career | — | 59 | 118 | 2095 | 16 |
A dash means the figure is not published by a source we trust — never a zero we invented.
- Katin HouserQB34%
- Yannick SmithWR11%
- Brock SpaldingWR6%
#3 of 15 tracked contributors · Produced in line with his snap share · Offense explosiveness 1.16 (p13) · CFBD — usage x PPA per tracked player
Honors
- First-team All-AAC (2025)
- Military Bowl MVP (2025)
- Associated Press All-Bowl team (2025)
- Phil Steele second-team All-American (2025)
- Biletnikoff Award watch list (2025)
- Coaches honorable-mention All-AAC (2024)
- East-West Shrine Bowl invitee (2026)
A fourth or fifth receiver whose value is deep-shot volume and special-teams availability.
A long-strider who adds enough intermediate route craft to become a real starting-caliber contributor.
Height and speed without the release package to separate against NFL press coverage.
Everything above is the pre-draft evaluation. This section is what actually happened — updated year over year.
Recruited out of Huntingtown, Maryland as a three-star, Smith spent 2020 through 2023 at NC State with thirteen total receptions across four seasons and no stable role. The transfer to East Carolina changed his career immediately: 41 catches for 799 yards in 2024, and in 2025 a full season with 64 catches, 1,053 yards and seven touchdowns inside an offense that averaged 272.7 passing yards a game and 32.7 points.
He closed with Military Bowl MVP honors, first-team All-AAC, AP All-Bowl recognition and an East-West Shrine Bowl invitation.
Dallas selected him with the 218th pick of the seventh round after a trade with Tennessee.