E.J. Smith Signs with Kansas City Chiefs as Undrafted Free Agent

Apr 27, 2026, 08:11

Introduction

On April 26, 2026, running back E.J. Smith signed a free agent contract with the Kansas City Chiefs after the NFL draft ended.

Main Body

E.J. Smith joined the Chiefs after participating in the Dallas Cowboys' local prospect event, known as 'Dallas Day.' Although his father, Emmitt Smith, is the NFL's all-time leading rusher and a former Cowboys star, E.J. chose Kansas City instead. He claimed that the Dallas organization did not seem urgent enough to sign him. Furthermore, he emphasized his desire to build his own professional identity separate from his father's famous legacy. Emmitt Smith supported this decision, advising his son to focus on his own growth as a player. Regarding his college career, Smith played four seasons at Stanford University and two at Texas A&M. In total, he recorded 969 rushing yards, nine touchdowns, and 470 receiving yards over 48 games. In his final season, he had 205 rushing yards on 44 carries. Analysts have pointed out his technical skills, such as his ability to convert fourth-down plays and his effective blocking during punt returns. Now that he has joined the Chiefs, Smith must compete for a spot against other players like Kenneth Walker III and Emmett Johnson. He will be trained by running backs coach DeMarco Murray, who also played for the Cowboys and broke Emmitt Smith's single-season rushing record in 2014. As a result, Smith's primary goal is to earn a place on the final 53-man roster for the 2026 season.

Conclusion

E.J. Smith has officially joined the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent and is now working hard to secure a permanent spot on the team.

Vocabulary Learning

identity (n.)

the characteristics that distinguish a person身份

Example:He wanted to build his own identity separate from his father's legacy.

prospect (n.)

a potential candidate or opportunity前景

Example:The Dallas Cowboys held a local prospect event.

roster (n.)

a list of players on a team名單

Example:He aims to earn a place on the final 53‑man roster.

undrafted (adj.)

not selected in a draft / not chosen by any team in the draft未被選中

Example:E.J. Smith signed as an undrafted free agent after the draft.

urgent (adj.)

needing immediate attention / pressing緊急的

Example:He said the organization seemed not urgent enough.

Sentence Learning

Although his father, Emmitt Smith, is the NFL's all-time leading rusher and a former Cowboys star, E.J. chose Kansas City instead.

Subordinating Conjunction: The word 'Although' introduces a clause that contrasts with the main clause, showing that despite the fact that his father is a famous player, E.J. made a different choice.連接詞: 'Although' 用於引入一個對比子句，表示儘管他的父親是著名球員，E.J.卻選擇了不同的路。

He will be trained by running backs coach DeMarco Murray, who also played for the Cowboys and broke Emmitt Smith's single-season rushing record in 2014.

Passive Voice: The verb phrase 'will be trained' is in passive form, indicating that the action is performed on the subject by someone else.被動語態: 'will be trained' 表示動作是由他人對主語施加的。

He claimed that the Dallas organization did not seem urgent enough to sign him.

Complement Clause: The word 'that' introduces a clause that functions as the object of the verb 'claimed', reporting what he said.補語子句: 'that the Dallas organization did not seem urgent enough to sign him' 作為動詞 'claimed' 的受詞，說明他所說的內容。

Now that he has joined the Chiefs, Smith must compete for a spot against other players like Kenneth Walker III and Emmett Johnson.

Temporal Subordinate Clause: The clause 'Now that he has joined the Chiefs' indicates the time or condition under which the main clause occurs.時間子句: 'Now that he has joined the Chiefs' 表示在他加入酋長隊之後，Smith 必須與其他球員競爭。

As a result, Smith's primary goal is to earn a place on the final 53-man roster for the 2026 season.

Linking Phrase: The phrase 'As a result' connects the previous information to the following statement, indicating a consequence.連接詞語: 'As a result' 連接前文，表示後續的結果或結論。