Cowboys' Instant 2026 NFL Draft Grade For Anthony Smith Pick

The Dallas Cowboys added a wide receiver capable of stretching the field in ECU's Anthony Smith.

East Carolina Pirates wide receiver Anthony Smith makes a catch against the Appalachian State Mountaineers. | James Guillory-Imagn Images

Barring a trade, the Dallas Cowboys wrapped up their work in the 2026 NFL draft by taking East Carolina wide receiver Anthony Smith at No. 218 overall in Round 7.

Smith began his collegiate career at North Carolina State, where he had just 13 receptions in three seasons. Once he went to ECU, Smith took off.

In two years, he racked up 105 receptions for 1,852 yards with 13 touchdowns. He did enough to get on the Cowboys' radar and has a chance to make the roster as a depth piece.

Instant Grade for Anthony Smith selection: A

East Carolina Pirates wide receiver Anthony Smith makes a touchdown catch over Army Black Knights cornerback Donavon Platt. | Lucas Boland-Imagn Images

This grade might seem high if you look at Smith as a prospect overall. But when throwing in where he was selected, the pick is an excellent use of draft capital.

Dallas doesn't have much faith in Jonathan Mingo, meaning the WR5 spot is up for grabs. Smith is someone who can develop, similar to 2024 sixth-rounder Ryan Flournoy, and perhaps take that spot from Mingo.

He has excellent size at 6-foot-3 and 189 pounds and ran a 4.43 during his Pro Day. In the seventh round, you draft for traits and trust your coaches to develop. Even if Smith doesn't turn into a contributor the way Flournoy did, this is still a solid dart throw from Jerry Jones and the Cowboys.

What the scouts are saying about Anthony Smith

East Carolina Pirates WR Anthony Smith makes a touchdown catch against Army Black Knights CB Jaydan Mayes. | James Guillory-Imagn Images

PFF's Lauren Gray highlighted Smith as a receiver who improved his stock after transferring. She noted that the former North Carolina State wideout was great at stretching the field, racking up 486 yards on passes that traveled at least 20 yards in the air. That said, he was effective at all levels, with Gray breaking down his stellar performance in 2025.

"Smith was targeted at least 25 times at every level beyond the line of scrimmage, helping him rack up nearly 800 receiving yards on 10-plus-yard throws. He brought in 16 catches for 292 yards and a touchdown at the intermediate level, earning a 96.1 PFF receiving grade at that depth," Gray wrote.

Most of his touchdowns (five) came from 20-plus yards out, where he caught 11 of 31 targets and earned a 92.2 PFF receiving grade. While Smith didn’t excel as much within nine yards of the line of scrimmage, he still secured 28 of 32 short targets for 10 first downs."

Smith will have a battle on his hands to make the 53-man roster, but he has the size, speed, and route tree to make some noise. That's exactly what you want from a seventh-round pick.

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