“He’s the type of kid you can introduce your daughter to”: Oregon legend Akili Smith shares son Akili Smith Jr.'s journey to Eugene

Four-star quarterback Akili Smith Jr., son of former Oregon legend Akili Smith, committed to and signed with the Ducks during the early signing period on Dec. 4. No. 1 Oregon is gearing up for its Rose Bowl showdown with No. 8 Ohio State, Akili Jr. has arrived in Eugene to participate in team practices.

On Thursday, Akili Sr. shared his pride with a post on X, writing a heartfelt message alongside a photo of his son in Eugene:

"When people tell us…“He’s the type of kid you can introduce your daughter too” makes you feel good as a parent…Congrats Son… your finally headed to Eugene …📍see ya at the 🌹 Bowl… #Champion #Hive #Duck."

Akili Jr. is coming off a phenomenal high school career at Lincoln High, where he led the team to a CIF 1-AA State Championship victory over Pittsburg earlier this month. In the thrilling 28-26 win, the signal-caller delivered three passing touchdowns and added another on the ground.

Smith is the No. 20 commit for Oregon's 2025 class and is ranked as the No. 6 quarterback in the 2025 class, the No. 5 recruit in California and the No. 87 prospect in the nation. The Ducks' class ranks No. 3 in the nation, headlined by multiple five-star prospects.

Besides Akili Smith Jr., the cycle has another quarterback in four-star prospect Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele. He is the No. 4 quarterback in the 2025 class and the No. 19 recruit in the nation, as On3. The duo is expected to compete for positioning on the depth chart.

Akili Smith Sr. compares his journey with son Akili Smith Jr.

Akili Smith Sr. was a mighty player during his career at Oregon and won the 1998 Pac-10 Co-Offensive Player of the Year. While following in his father’s footsteps, Akili Smith Jr. brings a mentality his father believes is already ahead of the curve.

“The sky’s the limit for him,” Akili Sr. told The Sun Diego Union-Tribune “Mentally, he’s ahead of where I was. When I played, the goal was to get a 2.0 (grade-point average) or whatever to stay on the field. He’s always maintained a 3.5 or higher.”

Akili Jr. completed 153 passes for 2,478 yards and 24 touchdowns while adding 508 rushing yards and four scores on the ground in his senior season. Despite these impressive numbers, he was more focused on team success over personal accolades.

"You've got to put your stats to the side for the betterment of the team," Akili Sr. said. "He said, 'Dad, I'm OK with it.' He wasn't concerned about that. He was concerned with winning."

Akili Sr. threw for over 3,700 yards and 32 touchdowns in his final college season, and he sees similar potential in his son.