ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ tapped into the Bay Area market for its latest commit of the 2026 recruiting class.
The ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ landed three-star running back Brandon Smith on Sunday. Smith committed to the ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ on Instagram Live Sunday afternoon and pledged to ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ over the hometown Cal Golden Bears.
Before revealing his commitment to ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥, he briefly picked up a Cal hat before donning an ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ cap and his white UA T-shirt.
Smith, who is projected to play running back at ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥, took an official visit to the UA earlier this month.
The 6-foot, 185-pound Smith, a senior at Central East High School in Fresno, California, also held offers from Boise State, Utah and San Diego State, among others. Smith is rated by as the 24th-best running back nationally and the No. 41 overall prospect in California for 2026.
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Smith was named a third-team All-California selection by last season after rushing for 1,871 yards and 25 touchdowns and recording 71 tackles and two interceptions as a defensive back. Smith has 2,661 yards and 34 touchdowns in his high school career.
Three-star running back and defensive back Brandon Smith is joining the ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ in 2026. The Fresno, California native chose the ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ over the Cal Golden Bears.
Smith is a multi-sport athlete and also runs track at Central East. As a junior, Smith anchored Central East’s 4x400 meter relay team that finished second at the California state championships with a 3:09.24 time.
Smith is the first running back in ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥â€™s 2026 recruiting class and the third overall prospect from the Bay Area, along with offensive lineman Michael Langi and wide receiver R.J. Mosley.
Smith joins an ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ running backs room that could conceivably return redshirt sophomore Kedrick Reescano, redshirt sophomore and Utah transfer Mike Mitchell (who is missing this season with a leg injury), junior and Portland State transfer Quincy Craig and freshmen Cornelius Warren III and Wesley Yarbrough in 2026.
With the addition of Smith, ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ now has 16 commits for its 2026 recruiting class. Smith is the second commit in three days, joining four-star quarterback Oscar Rios, who committed to ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ over UCLA on Friday.
Contact Justin Spears, the Star’s ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ football beat reporter, at jspears@tucson.com. On X(Twitter): @JustinESports
Justin Spears
Sports Reporter
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