On Saturday, Michigan secured its fourth commitment for the Class of 2026 with quarterback Brady Smigiel from Newbury Park, California. After decommitting from Florida State on January 26th, Smigiel, despite a recent dip in recruiting rankings, offers a high floor and significant potential upside for Chip Lindsey and the Wolverines' offense.

Coached by his father Joe (of the M&BR), Brady Smigiel quarterbacked Newbury Park to a 14-1 record and the 2024 California Interscholastic Federation Championship as a junior. His outstanding junior campaign saw him amass 3530 passing yards, 49 touchdowns, and just 3 interceptions, along with 460 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns, culminating in the California Mr. Football Award. A long-time 5-star recruit on Rivals, 247, and On3, Smigiel remains a top 25 prospect according to Rivals, despite some ranking adjustments elsewhere.

As referenced, Brady Smigiel was formerly committed to Florida State and holds over 30 P5 offers. Washington, South Carolina, and UCLA were all considered contenders for his commitment in recent months, but the Wolverines were able to close on Saturday through a recent push from Sherrone Moore and Chip Lindsey.

Brady Smigiel's Hudl film showcases a well-built pocket passer capable of making accurate throws at all depths. His game features strong timing and effective ball velocity, demonstrating an understanding of situational throws. At 6'4" and 205 lbs, Smigiel exhibits impressive pocket presence, displaying resilience under pressure and maintaining composure due to his natural feel for the quarterback position. While possessing decent pocket mobility, his rushing ability remains an area for development.

Brady Smigiel provides an immediate boost to the baseline talent in Michigan's quarterback room. Though perhaps not a day-one challenger to Bryce Underwood, his instinctive understanding of the game and impressive high school performance strongly suggest he will develop into a valuable and dependable player for the Maize & Blue.

Michigan has now moved up to No. 33 in the Rivals Team Recruiting Rankings for the Class of 2026, holding 5 commitments: QB Brady Smigiel, WR Jaylen Pile, IOL Bear McWhorter, EDGE Tariq Boney, and CB Brody Jennings.