# Akili Smith Jr.
**Akili Smith Jr.** is an [American football](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-football) quarterback for the [Oregon Ducks](https://www.edgepedia.org/oregon-ducks) and a former four-star recruit from Lincoln High School in San Diego, California. He is the son of Akili Smith, the quarterback taken third overall by the [Cincinnati Bengals](https://www.edgepedia.org/cincinnati-bengals) in the 1999 NFL Draft.[1](https://goducks.com/sports/football/roster/akili-smith-jr-/18333) • [2](https://calbears.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/akili-smith/736)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Position and team | Quarterback, University of Oregon, listed on the 2026 roster[1](https://goducks.com/sports/football/roster/akili-smith-jr-/18333) |
| Hometown and high school | San Diego, California; Lincoln High School, after a season at Vista Murrieta High School[3](https://www.on3.com/rivals/akili-smith-jr-156041/recruiting/) |
| Measurables | 6 feet 5 inches and 233 pounds at the 2024 On3 Elite Series, with a 9.75-inch hand and 32.5-inch arm[4](https://www.on3.com/rivals/akili-smith-jr-156041/vitals/) |
| Recruiting ranking | Four-star prospect; No. 201 nationally and No. 15 among quarterbacks in the 247Sports composite, with a 92 rating[5](https://www.maxpreps.com/ca/san-diego/lincoln-hornets/athletes/akili-smith-jr/?careerid=5bje1176ts6k4) |
| College enrollment | Signed with Oregon and enrolled on December 27, 2024[5](https://www.maxpreps.com/ca/san-diego/lincoln-hornets/athletes/akili-smith-jr/?careerid=5bje1176ts6k4) |
| College playing record | One appearance in 2026: 2 of 4 passing for 31 yards, no touchdowns, no interceptions, plus 2 carries for 7 yards[6](https://scoutszn.com/player/1757) |
## Background and family
Smith Jr. is the son of Akili Smith, who played quarterback at Oregon from 1997 to 1998, won Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year honors as a senior, and set Oregon's single-season passing record with 3,763 yards and 32 touchdowns before the Bengals made him the third overall pick of the 1999 draft.[2](https://calbears.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/akili-smith/736) The elder Smith played four seasons with [Cincinnati](https://www.edgepedia.org/cincinnati) (1999 to 2002), appearing in 22 games with 17 starts, 2,212 passing yards, 5 touchdown passes, and 13 interceptions, and later coached at Grossmont College and served as an offensive administrative assistant at California in 2010.[7](https://www.nfl.com/players/Akili-Smith/stats/) • [2](https://calbears.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/akili-smith/736)
## High school career
Smith Jr. played his 2022 season at Vista Murrieta High School and then at Lincoln High School in San Diego from 2023 to 2024, wearing No. 11.[3](https://www.on3.com/rivals/akili-smith-jr-156041/recruiting/) He was a long-time Oregon commit and participated in the Elite 11 Finals quarterback competition the summer before his senior season.[8](https://www.si.com/high-school/california/oregon-commit-akili-smith-jr-opens-senior-season-with-five-touchdown-performance-01j6b8byjgk8)
**Senior season opener.** In his final high school season opener, Smith Jr. passed for a career-high 371 yards and five touchdowns.[8](https://www.si.com/high-school/california/oregon-commit-akili-smith-jr-opens-senior-season-with-five-touchdown-performance-01j6b8byjgk8) Across his Lincoln career he totaled 2,986 yards of total offense, a figure that ranked 81st in California among the stat leaders tracked by MaxPreps.[5](https://www.maxpreps.com/ca/san-diego/lincoln-hornets/athletes/akili-smith-jr/?careerid=5bje1176ts6k4)
## Recruiting
Scouting services rated Smith Jr. as a four-star prospect. The 247Sports composite listed him at No. 201 nationally, No. 15 among quarterbacks, and No. 17 in California, with a rating of 92; the On3/Rivals industry ranking placed him at No. 232 nationally with a 91.43 rating.[5](https://www.maxpreps.com/ca/san-diego/lincoln-hornets/athletes/akili-smith-jr/?careerid=5bje1176ts6k4) • [3](https://www.on3.com/rivals/akili-smith-jr-156041/recruiting/) 247Sports scouting noted him as a big quarterback with a live arm who could already make college-level throws while still growing into his body.[5](https://www.maxpreps.com/ca/san-diego/lincoln-hornets/athletes/akili-smith-jr/?careerid=5bje1176ts6k4) He held offers from 15 schools and committed to Oregon, enrolling on December 27, 2024.[6](https://scoutszn.com/player/1757) • [5](https://www.maxpreps.com/ca/san-diego/lincoln-hornets/athletes/akili-smith-jr/?careerid=5bje1176ts6k4)
## College career at Oregon
Smith Jr. is on the Oregon roster as a quarterback and, per ScoutSZN's September 2026 evaluation, is a redshirt freshman who provides depth behind the Ducks' starters.[1](https://goducks.com/sports/football/roster/akili-smith-jr-/18333) • [6](https://scoutszn.com/player/1757) In the 2026 season he appeared in one game, completing 2 of 4 passes for 31 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions, and added 2 carries for 7 yards.[6](https://scoutszn.com/player/1757)
**Jersey number.** [Sports Illustrated](https://www.edgepedia.org/sports-illustrated) reported that Smith Jr. changed his jersey number in his second season with the Ducks, a choice that pays tribute to his father's Oregon career.[9](https://www.si.com/college/oregon/football/oregon-ducks-quarterback-akili-smith-new-number-fans-buzzing-uniforms-recruiting-transfers)
## Outlook
ScoutSZN's scouting verdict describes Smith Jr. as an under-the-radar, high-ceiling developmental quarterback whose production is real but thin, with a role that depends on whether his playing time grows; the site assigns him a 4.3 grade with a floor of 2.7 and a ceiling of 8.2 on its scale.[6](https://scoutszn.com/player/1757) Fanspeak's draft profile tracks him as a quarterback prospect whose stock is set by community mock-draft consensus rather than published expert rankings.[10](https://fanspeak.com/college-football/players/smith-jr-akili-1659)
## References
1. [Akili Smith Jr. – Football Roster, University of Oregon Athletics](https://goducks.com/sports/football/roster/akili-smith-jr-/18333)
2. [Akili Smith – Football Coach, California Golden Bears Athletics](https://calbears.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/akili-smith/736)
3. [Akili Smith Jr. – Lincoln – Quarterback, On3/Rivals](https://www.on3.com/rivals/akili-smith-jr-156041/recruiting/)
4. [Akili Smith Jr. – Vitals, On3/Rivals](https://www.on3.com/rivals/akili-smith-jr-156041/vitals/)
5. [Akili Smith Jr. – Lincoln – Quarterback, MaxPreps](https://www.maxpreps.com/ca/san-diego/lincoln-hornets/athletes/akili-smith-jr/?careerid=5bje1176ts6k4)
6. [Akili Smith Jr. · Oregon QB Scouting Report & Draft Grade, ScoutSZN](https://scoutszn.com/player/1757)
7. [Akili Smith Stats Summary, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/players/Akili-Smith/stats/)
8. [Oregon commit Akili Smith Jr. opens senior season with 5-touchdown performance, Sports Illustrated](https://www.si.com/high-school/california/oregon-commit-akili-smith-jr-opens-senior-season-with-five-touchdown-performance-01j6b8byjgk8)
9. [Oregon Quarterback Akili Smith Jr.'s New Number Has Ducks Fans Buzzing, Sports Illustrated](https://www.si.com/college/oregon/football/oregon-ducks-quarterback-akili-smith-new-number-fans-buzzing-uniforms-recruiting-transfers)
10. [Akili Smith Jr., QB Prospect, Oregon, Fanspeak](https://fanspeak.com/college-football/players/smith-jr-akili-1659)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Rugby and other football codes › American football players, coaches, and executives › Quarterbacks › 2010s quarterbacks*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 11, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license