Last April's NFL Draft saw a touching moment in the Dallas Cowboys' war room. With the 212th pick, in the sixth round, the Cowboys selected Kansas State running back Deuce Vaughn.
The son of Dallas scout Chris Vaughn got the call he was going to be drafted from his father in a moment that quickly went viral.
It was a feel-good story even the most ardent Cowboys' haters had to feel good about. And there may be yet another such moment coming in the next year or two.
Emmitt's Son
Depending on if he decides to come out early, E. J. Smith out of Stanford, might be a hard player for the Cowboys to pass up in the 2024 or 2025 draft.
The son of Emmitt Smith plays running back for the Cardinal. On the first play of the 2022 season, as the team's new starter, E.J. sprinted for an 87-yard touchdown.
He added another touchdown and finished with 125 yards on 11 carries. For good measure, he caught five passes for 37 yards in a 41-0 win over Colgate.
E.J. went for 102 yards and a touchdown the next week against USC. He caught three passes for 26 yards and another touchdown.
Emmitt's son was well on his way to an impressive campaign. But he never gained another yard for the rest of the season. Because he never made it back on the field.
Mysterious Injury
E.J. missed the next game against Washington. Three days later, Stanford Head Coach David Shaw announced that the redshirt sophomore was done for the year.
In a move that makes Bill Belichick seem downright gabby, Shaw refused to elaborate on the injury.
No clue was given, in any way shape or form. Seriously, getting top secret files from D.C. is easier by comparison.
No indication of what the injury was. No indication of when it occurred. And no elaboration regarding whether surgery had been required.
“There's a medical situation that it's unwise for him, and I don't think it's even an option for him, to continue,” Shaw said in an interview with the Mercury News. “He's got to get his body taken care of… but the doctors are right. It's wise for him, both now and for his future, to get this taken care of and come back in ‘23 bigger, faster, stronger.”
The Six Million Dollar Man 2.0
Hopefully, unlike Col. Steve Austin (and there's your obligatory 1970s pop culture reference for today), they didn't have to rebuild Emmitt's son.
Assuming he does come back fully healthy, based on his last two games, the future could be very bright for E.J. Smith. Possibly even landing a spot on more than one NFL draft board.
At six feet even and 210 pounds, he's three inches taller and 11 pounds lighter than his dad's playing weight. He runs a lot like the NFL's rushing king.
Provided he hasn't lost a step, it will be interesting to see what happens when he hits the draft. Especially if he's still on the board late Friday or early Saturday and its Dallas' turn to pick.
Even with Tony Pollard and Vaughn on the roster, getting more help in the running back room is never a bad thing.
If you thought the scene in the war room was something last April, just imagine what it will look like if Dallas takes E.J. Smith in the draft.
He might be the one and only player the Cowboys would allow to wear the 22 jersey on the field again. And wouldn't that be something to see happen at AT&T Stadium in the next couple of years?
