The Dallas Cowboys waited until the 7th round to select Anthony Smith, adding to the offense’s firepower.
Anthony Smith isn’t just some throw-away pick, the Cowboys added him with the 218th pick, and this feels like the kind of late-round swing that makes sense. You’re not looking for a finished product this late in the draft, but you are looking for traits.
Smith has the traits to develop into an asset.
Sports Illustrated gave the pick an instant A grade, and I understand why. Smith has size, speed, and the production that makes him worth developing at that point in the draft.
After starting his career at North Carolina State, he transferred to East Carolina where he put up 105 catches for 1,852 yards and 13 touchdowns over two seasons.
Anthony Smith Brings Speed to Dallas
Anthony Smith gives Dallas another outside receiver with field-stretching ability.
He is almost 6’3 and weighs 197 pounds, and has speed that can make defensive backs uncomfortable. He’s not a finished product just yet, but he can threaten a secondary vertically and give the Cowboys some juice on the outside.
Every offense needs cheap speed and a seventh round pick with 4.4 speed gives them that.
Smith is not coming to Dallas to take targets away from CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. I just don’t see that in his role. His job is to come into camp, run fast, make plays in the preseason, and prove he can help on special teams.
That is the formula for a seventh round pick to make the 53.
How Anthony Smith Fits in the Cowboys Receiver Room
The top of the Cowboys receiver room is pretty much set.
CeeDee Lamb is WR1A, George Pickens is WR1B, Ryan Flournoy is WR3, and KaVontae Turpin is the return/gadget guy.
That leaves Anthony Smith fighting for a spot against players like Jonathan Mingo, who has shown nothing, and an old/injury-riddled Marquez Valdes-Scantling. There are other depth receivers, but I think Anthony Smith has a leg up on them already.
Smith doesn’t have to beat out the top of the room. He has to prove he is more valuable than the back-end options, and I think he will do that with ease. If Dallas keeps six receivers, he has a path. If they go with five, I hope they sneak this guy into the practice squad.
Special Teams May Decide His Future
For Anthony Smith, I believe, like any seventh round pick, his path to the 53 is through special teams.
You can have upside as a receiver, but if you’re not helping on game day in other areas, it’s hard for coaches to justify keeping you active.
Anthony Smith has to show he can cover kicks, block, and play with a toughness he may not be accustomed to. The size and speed are there, now he has to prove he can handle the dirty work that comes with being a depth receiver in the NFL.
If he does, his chances go up fast.
Anthony Smith’s Chance to Make the Team
Right now, I would put Anthony Smith’s chance of making the Cowboys 53-man roster at 35%.
You may think that sounds low, but for a seventh-round pick in a somewhat crowded receiver room, that is a real chance to get on the sideline on Sundays.
Lamb, Pickens, Flournoy, and Turpin have no worries, but the receivers after the top-four will have to battle it out with Smith to get that last spot on the game-day roster.
Anthony Smith is going to have to earn it every day of practice and preseason game.
He may start the season on the practice squad, but he is one strong preseason game away from forcing his way onto the roster.
For a seventh-round pick, I would take those odds.
Anthony Smith is exactly the type of player worth taking a swing on to make this team.
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