Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 10-48@ Alabama | 2 | 9 | 4.5 | 0 | 5 | Season-high 9 yds |
| Total | 2 | 9 | 4.5 | 0 | 5 |
#8
Ismael Smith Flores
Senior tight end for East Carolina. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
6′5″ · 255 lb · Crowley, TX · Arlington Seguin
Returning to East Carolina for 2026
The numbers
9
receiving yards · 2026
2 catches · 4.5 per catch
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 2 rec, 9 yds, at Alabama
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 tight end for East Carolina. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Nebraska in 2023.
- Transferred from Nebraska to Texas-Rio Grande Valley in 2025.
Ismael Smith Flores
Across two seasons and two programs, two head coaches: Matt Rhule and Blake Harrell. The receipt: 9 rec yds, 2 receptions against Alabama — Week 1, 2026.
9 REC YDS · 2 REC · 0 REC TD
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
2023
- Signed with Nebraska3-star out of Arlington Martin
2025
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
2 coaches2024
East Carolina
Coaching transition mid-career: Mike Houston → Blake Harrell. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2024Nebraska7-6HC: Matt Rhule · Balanced
2026East Carolina0-2HC: Blake Harrell · Balanced, slow tempo
Where this profile ranks vs the TE cohort
Box-score percentiles
Concern: rec yards (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (5)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 1 game: 2.0 REC/g, 9.0 YDS/g, 4.5 YPR, 0.0 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Blake Harrell
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | East Carolina | 2 | 9 | 4.5 | 0 | -- |
| 2024 | Nebraska | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 2 | 9 | 4.5 | 0 | -- |
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
East Carolina
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Tight end · East Carolina
Returning around him
- 14% of 2024 offensive production back (Heavy turnover)
- 1 East Carolina player drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -2 net (24 in / 26 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
East Carolina · Last season: 9-4 · Talent rank #83 · 2026 recruiting class #94
Background
Mid-year transfer from UTRGV who, enrolled at East Carolina in January of 2026 … Earned first varsity letter in 2025 … Appeared in 14 career games making nine starts (all at UTRGV) … Signed with Nebraska out of high school and was a member of the 2023 and 2024 Huskers team where he played linebac...
The tight end room · East Carolina
- #6Kanen Hamlett142 receiving yards · 2025
- #82Gage Realeno box-score line yet
- #8Ismael Smith Flores1 game · 2026
- #45Mason Brownno box-score line yet
- #86Kaleb Morrowno box-score line yet
2 more on the roster · East Carolina team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology