National Signing Day results in a flurry of activity for programs across the country but lost in all the action is the simple fact that hundreds of kids are officially committing to living their life long dreams and becoming college football players.
While there are a host of occasions where the parents are not fully supportive of the decision a kid makes (see Landon Collins’ mother most famously), by and large the day is filled with moms, dads, step-parents and other assorted family members donning school gear and celebrating the occasion as it should be.
One such proud father? None other than NFL Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith, who saw his son EJ Smith commit to Stanford on ESPN over offers from Florida, Georgia, Texas A&M and others. While it had to sting a bit for Gators fans to lose out on the four-star running back prospect to a program that is coming off a 4-8 season, the loss was put into perspective in a fantastic manner by the elder Smith, who delivered a poignant message on legacy and creating one’s own path in the process while discussing his son’s decision.
"At the end of the day, my son has his own journey. And it is his journey, not my journey."
— ESPN (@espn) December 18, 2019
– Emmitt Smith after his son, EJ, committed to Stanford pic.twitter.com/50gEfkyB4R
Smart off the field and exemplary on the field! Congrats on your pick and journey to @StanfordFball @ejsmith_22!! #SigningDay pic.twitter.com/85FlDzNLjQ
— Emmitt Smith (@EmmittSmith22) December 18, 2019
The Cardinal have had plenty of recent experience when it comes to sons of all-time great running backs, having had Barry Sanders Jr. come through the program starting in 2012. Expectations are even higher this time around given that the younger Smith is considered to be one of the top all-purpose athletes in the country out of Dallas (Texas) Jesuit.
While he certainly could have followed in his old man’s footsteps in Gainesville to achieve his dreams, it’s cool to see EJ strike out on his own to try and create something else of his own on the Farm. That’s something nobody seems to know better than the former Dallas Cowboys legend himself based on his comments after one of the more notable hat pledges on Wednesday.