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Eighth-grade quarterback Brady Smigiel lands Pac 12 scholarship offer

Jeremy Crabtreeby: Jeremy Crabtree08/25/21jeremycrabtree
Jedd Fisch
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Scholarship offers to eighth-graders are nothing new in college football recruiting, but they still are newsworthy when they come in. That’s especially true when they are eighth-graders like quarterback Brady Smigiel of Newbury Park, Calif.

Smigiel, who is 6-foot-2 and 175 pounds, shared news about an offer from Arizona Tuesday night on social media. In the tweet, he said he was “blessed” with his first Division I offer.

The offer was a big one for Smigiel because he has deep roots with the Wildcats. His father is former UofA offensive tackle starter Joe Smigiel, but that’s just one of the ties to Tucson.

“My dad played at the UofA and coached as well,” Smigiel told On3. “He was a part of the 1994 Fiesta Bowl and the 1998 Holiday Bowl as a coach. My sister graduated from there about two years ago.

“I’ve been going to basketball, football and baseball games since I was a little kid. I have grown up a Wildcat and blessed that they are my first offer.”

Smigiel’s twin brother, Beau Smigiel, is another name to watch in the 2026 class in the Southland. He plays receiver and outside linebacker.

Brady Smigiel has already gone viral

This might not be the first time you’ve read Brady Smigiel’s name on the national level. When he was 13, he captured a blurry selfie with his idol, Kobe Bryant, at the Mamba Sports Academy. It ended up being one of the last photos of the NBA legend alive.

The next day Kobe and his daughter Gianna were killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, Calif., along with 7 other people.

Smigiel and his family were interviewed by CNN and many other national outlets.

Smigiel impressed this summer at FSU camp

Brady Smigiel is a known commodity to observers in the Los Angeles area, but he put his name on the national recruiting radar when he attended Florida State’s camp this summer.

Several observers at the camp complimented Smigiel for his smooth delivery and ability to throw to multiple levels. His Hudl highlight film from 2019 also shows some of the things he put on display at the FSU camp.

Smigiel’s season canceled

Brady Smigiel’s eighth-grade season was canceled before it even started. He said his school started late and couldn’t get enough players to play. Instead, he plans on focusing his efforts on working with his quarterback coach and playing basketball.

“I’m lifting and throwing at The Future Elite Academy as well as going over coverages with my quarterback coach,” Smigiel said. “I will likely start playing in basketball tournaments as well until we get to 7-on-7 season again.”