South Carolina Gamecocks Recruting - Where Things Stand at QB in 2026 Class

Newbury Park High quarterback Brady Smigiel is Ventura County Star All-County Football Offensive Player of the Year on Friday, Dec. 8, 2023. | Juan Carlo/THE STAR / USA TODAY NETWORK

The South Carolina Gamecocks are entering a key time period of recruiting, and they've seemingly honed in on their target at the QB position.

The South Carolina Gamecocks were at one point firmly entrenched in the Jared Curtis recruitment. Depending on who you ask, Curtis is the No. 1 quarterback prospect in the country. Sources close to the situation told Gamecocks on SI that South Carolina at one point was the leader for Curtis. Though losing former offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains to a head coaching job at App State created drastic momentum for others.

Curtis will decide between Georgia and Oregon on May 5th. The Gamecocks then shifted their sights on others at the position. We have some names to know as the cycle heats up.

Brady Smigiel - New Park, CA
The 6'5, 205-pound signal-caller has some of the tightest window throws on tape in the 2026 class. He's confident in his accuracy and ball placement, and he seems to be the QB that the Gamecocks are honing in on in the 2026 cycle. He just wrapped up an unofficial visit to South Carolina this past weekend. He was All-County Offensive Player of the Year as a Sophomore and has continued to develop.

Landon Duckworth - Mobile, AL
Duckworth and the Gamecocks have had mutual interest for quite some time at this point in the recruitment process. According to Duckworth at the Under Armour event in late February, the Gamecocks coaching staff was still in contact daily. However, sources have indicated that Ole Miss is the major leader in that recruitment at the moment.

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