The Dallas Cowboys have added an intriguing and physically imposing wide receiver to their roster, signing former Nevada standout Jaden Smith. At 6-foot-6 and 210 pounds, Smith brings rare size and red-zone dominance to a Cowboys receiving corps looking for additional weapons this offseason.
Smith, who went undrafted and spent the 2025 season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was released by Tampa Bay in April after appearing on injured reserve. The Cowboys officially signed the big-bodied pass-catcher, marking the second wide receiver addition for Dallas this week. They had previously signed SMU undrafted free agent Romello Brinson.
A Proven Red-Zone Threat
Jaden Smith enjoyed a strong final college season with the Nevada Wolf Pack in 2024, recording 62 receptions for 849 yards and seven touchdowns. He earned All-Mountain West honorable mention honors for his efforts. Across his six college seasons — which included stops at Montana State and Tarleton State — Smith totaled 138 catches for 2,100 yards and 20 touchdowns in 45 games.
His college coach at Nevada, Jeff Choate, raved about Smith’s ability to dominate in tight quarters.
“He’s an elite red zone threat,” Choate said in 2024. “I don’t know that I’ve ever been around a guy… that has anybody any better than Jaden Smith is in the red zone.”
That combination of height, body control, and leaping ability makes Smith a nightmare matchup for smaller defensive backs near the goal line — an area where the Cowboys have long sought consistent production.
From Undrafted to Big D
Smith originally signed with the Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent following the 2025 NFL Draft. He appeared in two preseason games for Tampa Bay, recording one reception for nine yards. While he showed flashes, injuries limited his opportunity to make a deeper impact with the Bucs.
Now with the Cowboys, Smith joins a receiving room that continues to evolve. His arrival comes alongside Brinson, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound field-stretcher who posted career highs at SMU in 2025 with 43 receptions for 638 yards and three touchdowns.
NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein offered a balanced scouting report on Brinson, noting his vertical ability while acknowledging limitations in his route-running on intermediate routes.
What Smith Brings to Dallas
Standing at 6-foot-6, Smith possesses one of the largest frames among active NFL wide receivers. His ability to high-point the football and win contested catches, particularly in the red zone, gives Dallas offensive coordinator Kellen Moore (or his successor) a unique chess piece to deploy in goal-line and short-yardage situations.
While Smith’s production was more modest in his earlier FCS and transfer seasons, his 2022 campaign at Tarleton State was particularly productive, as he went over 800 receiving yards and scored 10 touchdowns. That pedigree, combined with his most recent success at the Group of Five level, suggests he has the tools to carve out a role on special teams and as a situational offensive weapon.
The Cowboys’ decision to add both Smith and Brinson this week indicates an emphasis on increasing depth and competition at the wide receiver position as they build toward the upcoming season.
Whether Smith can translate his college production and physical gifts into a sustainable NFL career remains to be seen, but his sheer size and red-zone reputation make him one of the more interesting low-risk, high-upside additions of the early offseason.
