Quarterback Cole Leinart, son of former USC star Matt Leinart, commits to SMU

There will be a new Leinart coming through college football.

Cole Leinart, a Class of 2026 quarterback prospect and the son of former USC star and 2004 Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart, committed to SMU, he announced on social media Wednesday.

Leinart, who plays for Redondo Union (Calif.) High, also had offers from Colorado, Arizona, Utah, Pitt and others before committing to coach Rhett Lashlee and the Mustangs. Leinart does not currently have a ranking in the 247Sports Composite but is No. 81 among quarterbacks nationally in 247Sports' rankings.

He is SMU's second commit in the Class of 2026, joining cornerback Victor Lincoln. The Mustangs have one quarterback in their 2025 class, Ty Hawkins, a four-star prospect who plays at IMG Academy in Florida.

Through six games this season, Leinart is 53-for-96 passing for 732 yards and nine touchdowns with two interceptions. He has also rushed 19 times for 136 yards and two more touchdowns.

What is SMU getting in Leinart?

Leinart was on the recruiting radar since he was a tall 11-year-old firing long passes in Southern California flag football leagues. His dad's old coach at USC, Lane Kiffin, even tweeted that he'd already offered the kid a scholarship to play for FAU back in 2018.

The younger Leinart emerged as a touted shooting guard in the West Coast AAU basketball circuit — his mom, Brynn, played basketball for USC — before enrolling at his dad's alma mater, Mater Dei, where he was a backup QB as a freshman in 2022 in his first season playing tackle football. Leinart then transferred early in his sophomore year to Newport Harbor High. He was ineligible to play football last season because of transfer rules but became a key contributor to the school's basketball team.

Last summer, he transferred again, closer to where he grew up in Manhattan Beach, enrolling at Redondo Union High. He had to sit out the first month of the season but has shined in his first extensive action as a varsity QB. His recruitment with SMU heated up over the summer when he spent time with the Mustangs staff in Dallas. Earlier this week, Lashlee poured over the 6-foot-4, 190-pounder's film from this season and extended an offer, which Leinart jumped on. — Bruce Feldman, college football insider

(Photo: Jerome Miron / Imagn Images)