Akili Smith Jr., elite 2025 quarterback and son of Ducks legend, commits to Oregon

Lincoln (California) four-star quarterback Akili Smith Jr. recently visited Oregon for its 'Saturday Night Live' event

The Oregon Ducks "Saturday Night Live" recruiting weekend may already be labeled a rousing success.

Two days after flipping Weiss (Texas) four-star wide receiver Adrian Wilson from TCU, Oregon has secured its quarterback of the future.

And it's a familiar name from the past.

Class of 2025 Lincoln (California) four-star quarterback Akili Smith Jr., the son of Oregon Ducks legend Akili Smith, announced his commitment Monday, choosing Dan Lanning's program over offers from Florida, Miami, Michigan, Utah, Washington and others:

100% Committed! #scoducks @Hayesfawcett3 pic.twitter.com/KZ6EaAInp3

— Akili Smith Jr (@Akilismithjr) July 31, 2023

The 6-foot-5, 200-pound signal-caller is a consensus four-star recruit, rated the nation's No. 5 quarterback on 247Sports, the No. 8 quarterback on On3 and the No. 1 dual-threat quarterback on ESPN. 

As a sophomore, Smith threw for 2,432 yards and 30 touchdowns with just four interceptions. 

He is the second highest-rated 2025 quarterback to come off the board, behind only Bellefontaine (Ohio) signal-caller Tavien St. Clair (Ohio State). 

Smith Jr. has been viewed as a heavy Oregon lean for some time due to his family's long-standing relationship with the program and his connection to the coaching staff. 

Akili Smith played for Oregon for two years (1997, 1998), throwing for a total of 5,148 yards and 45 touchdowns before being selected with the No. 3 overall pick in the 1999 NFL Draft. 

Sophomore season highlights