Top 3 landing spots for four-star QB Brady Smigiel to the Class of 2026 ft. UCLA

Florida State lost its crown jewel of the 2026 class when four-star quarterback Brady Smigiel decommitted from the Seminoles earlier this week. The standout from Newbury Park High School in California was the top-ranked recruit in FSU's 2026 cycle.

The 6-foot-4, 215-pound prospect had a phenomenal junior season, earning Los Angeles Times High School Football Player of the Year honors and being named California’s Mr. Football by CalHiSports. He led Newbury Park to a 14-1 record, securing the CIF-Southern Section Division 2 championship and reaching the CIF-State Division 1-AA regional final.

Smigiel posted stellar stats, completing 219 of 336 passes for 3,521 yards with 49 touchdowns and just three interceptions, while also rushing for 435 yards and 11 additional scores. According to On3, Smigiel is currently considering Michigan, South Carolina, Michigan State, UCLA, Ohio State and Washington.

Let's see which three programs have the most potential to secure his commitment.

Top 3 schools vying for Brady Smigiel's commitment

3.Michigan

Michigan had four-star quarterback Brady Hart committed in the 2026 class, but he backed off his pledge following five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood's commitment to the Wolverines' 2025 class. Hart later reclassified to the 2025 class and committed to Texas A&M.

Despite Underwood being viewed as Michigan’s future QB1, head coach Sherrone Moore and his staff may still want to add depth and competition at the position. Given Smigiel’s strong junior season, he could be a good option for the Wolverines.

Michigan has two commitments in the 2026 class: cornerback Brody Jennings and wide receiver Jaylen Pile. Five-star QB Ryder Lyons and four-star QB Oscar Rios are also linked to the program in this cycle.

2.South Carolina

Brady Smigiel has indeed been a priority target for Shane Beamer. Beamer made the first in-person contact with Smigiel by visiting his family on Jan. 17, while Smigiel was still committed to Florida State. Now that Smigiel is back on the market, the Gamecocks have intensified their pursuit. Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Mike Shula visited Smigiel at school on Monday:

“The best thing about the recruitment with South Carolina so far is that I truly believe they are being transparent, and so are we," Smigiel's father, Joe, told The State. "South Carolina has shown that he is one of their priorities, and that’s important. Next step is to get out there. He wants to go out there and check that out.”

South Carolina doesn’t have a quarterback commit in the 2026 class, which ranks No. 5 in the Southeastern Conference with five pledges.

1.UCLA

UCLA wasn’t initially seen as a major player in Smigiel’s recruitment, but the Bruins' chances have surged following the commitment of his close friend and high school teammate, Shane Rosenthal, on Wednesday. Smigiel also met with the new UCLA offensive coordinator, Tino Sunseri, and came away impressed.

“I was able to see how sharp he is,” Smigiel told VC star. “I think that offense and that team is going in the positive direction. You put the pros of UCLA together and it turns into a serious contender.”

UCLA has four committed players in the 2026 class, all of whom are wide receivers. This class currently ranks No. 22 in the nation.