Ismael Smith Flores holds the TE · Backup spot in East Carolina Pirates’s tight end room. Where he sits among the room’s front-line roles:

Ismael Smith Flores is a 6'5", 255-pound tight end from Crowley, TX who attended Arlington Martin High School. Originally signed with Nebraska as a three-star prospect, he redshirted in 2023 before moving to linebacker and appearing in two games in 2024, recording one tackle for a four-yard loss against UTEP. Flores transferred to Texas-Rio Grande Valley, where he caught 20 passes for 244 yards and six touchdowns in 2025 while starting nine of 12 games at tight end. He ranked seventh in the Southland in receiving touchdowns and posted a career-best 68 receiving yards against UIW, including a 43-yard reception. The redshirt junior enrolled at East Carolina in January 2026.

Nebraska2023 – 2024

Texas-Rio Grande Valley2025

East Carolina2026 — present