Ryan Day‘s OSU just got a major shake-up in the 2026 quarterback race. One of the nation’s top signal-callers is back on the market. The 6-foot-5, 190-pound gunslinger, Brady Smigiel, out of Newbury Park High decommitted from FSU after originally pledging in June 2024. The reason? FSU’s offense is changing under Gus Malzahn, and the fit isn’t as seamless anymore. Meanwhile, Chip Kelly just made a visit, adding more fuel to the fire. Although OSU is expected to stay in the mix, but for now, the Buckeyes aren’t locked in on his final visit list. This recruitment is about to heat up.

But the race for Brady Smigiel just took another turn. With Ohio State off the table after Chip Kelly’s exit to the Raiders, the four-star quarterback has a new batch of frontrunners. When asked who’s leading the way, Washington was the first school he named. But he’s not stopping there. According to CFB insider Steve Wiltfong, Smigiel is set for a spring tour with Michigan, South Carolina, and UCLA in the mix.

However, in an interview with Inside Scoop, he confirmed his top five: Michigan, UCLA, Washington, Auburn, and South Carolina. And he plans to visit them all. To be honest, one thing is clear — Ohio State pushed hard for his commitment before Kelly’s departure. But if there’s one visit set in stone, his father made sure to clear that up.

While Smigiel’s recruitment is in full swing, and the visits are piling up, his father and high school coach, Joe, made it clear: “Brady is going to Washington March 8th, South Carolina March 27, UCLA April 3rd, Michigan April 19th. One official planned to Washington on June 19th.” That last part? It speaks volumes. Coach Jedd Fisch and the Huskies are going all-in — and why not? Washington wants its future leader. With an official visit locked in, Seattle is making a strong case to be Smigiel’s next home.

And the elite 2026 quarterback is turning heads across the recruiting world. 247Sports ranks him No. 6 among QBs and No. 112 overall. But Rivals sees him even higher, labeling him a five-star talent and the No. 17 player in the nation. On3? They have him as the No. 6 passer and No. 56 overall prospect. So, Smigiel is among the best in the nation, regardless of your point of view.

Smigiel is a game-changer in addition to being a great recruit. He put up video game numbers this past season. He threw 49 TDs to just three interceptions while completing 219 of 336 passes for 3,521 yards. He’s more than simply a pocket passer, though. He added 11 running TDs and rushed for 435 yards on 89 touches. Oh, and he won the CIF Championship and guided his team to a 14-1 record. His career numbers? Unbelievable. 11,222 yards of throwing. 147 TDs.

Given all of his accomplishments, one would wonder why he would make an official trip to Washington. It ultimately boils down to interpersonal connections. Smigiel is being treated as a priority by Jedd Fisch and his team. For the four-star quarterback, that is a huge thing. And following that, he said, “Relationships are probably my number one. You want the offense to fit, you want to love the city and the university, but I would say the biggest thing is going somewhere where I’m going to grow as a human being… I think these schools will all do that for me.”

Smigiel has gone to the Huskies several times, including in December. But he’s not ruling anything out. And he attended a UCLA game during the season. South Carolina, meanwhile, very recently entered the fray with an offer in January. Even though Washington has a scheduled official visit, the race is far from done. Michigan is pressing hard right there.

How Brady Smigiel is connected to Michigan

In the 2026 class, Smigiel is a name to be aware of. Even if his name isn’t often the first one spoken, the gunslinger from Newbury Park is among the best. Michigan is close to the top of the Composite rankings, which rate him as the fifth-best quarterback in the cycle. Smigiel’s recruitment is only getting started, but he has a strong arm, a high football IQ, and a growing list of elite colleges vying for his services.

However, relationships are crucial to Brady Smigiel. It is what motivates him to make decisions. His first choice was Florida State when Kirk Campbell and Michigan didn’t work out. Now, the image is changing once more. Smigiel disclosed that he was quite close to former North Carolina OC Chip Lindsey. Additionally, since Campbell is no longer in Ann Arbor, his recruitment may be disrupted once more by his relationship with Lindsey.

He has strong links to Ann Arbor and is eager to get back in touch with the Wolverines’ personnel. In Smigiel’s own words, “We loved it in Ann Arbor. We really just liked the tradition over there. Just everything about Ann Arbor we really loved. And I have a really good relationship with coach Lindsey over there — he was at North Carolina. So right when he got that job at Michigan, I was one of the first calls. So just to be able to rekindle that relationship with Coach Moore, and I plan on visiting there end of March.” Michigan is currently making a strong push, and a visit is imminent.

The competition for the commitment of the outstanding 2026 quarterback is intensifying as he continues to consider his options. When is he going to make a decision? That remains uncertain. Although he hasn’t decided on a date yet, he is beginning to organize his summer schedule.