Florida State offers blue-chip QB from Alabama
FSU lost blue-chip quarterback Brady Smigiel on Sunday as he decommitted from the program. Of course, this was a major blow to their 2026 recruiting class. However, it wasn't something they took lying down as they offered four-star Bowe Bentley as well as four-star Landon Duckworth, who hails from Jackson, Alabama.
Once upon a time, Duckworth almost committed to UCF. Seminoles' new offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn was the head coach there at the time. So, when he departed to join Florida State's staff, it was a foregone conclusion that he would continue to pursue Duckworth, and Malzahn didn't waste any time after Smigiel left the program.
'Me and coach Gus, we were real close at UCF but he had left and went to Florida State. They had a really great commit in Brady Smigiel. He decommitted and then [Malzahn] just called me and offered me like 20 minutes ago,' Duckworth told Noles247.
Duckworth, just like Bentley, fits what Malzahn wants in a quarterback, seeing as he's a dual-threat type of prospect. He threw for 3,439 yards and 39 touchdowns with only 10 interceptions as a junior. On top of that, he amassed 648 rushing yards and 12 more scores.
The 6-foot-3, 190-pounder is the No. 137 recruit nationally and the No. 9 quarterback according to 247Sports composite rankings. They also have him as the No. 10 prospect in Alabama.
Although the Seminoles just offered, Duckworth mentioned that Malzahn made it clear that they're serious about adding him to the roster.
'It means a lot for any school that offers me and gives me the opportunity to play at their program but he was just like it was nice talking to you, I just wanted to offer you and we're going to full-court press you,' Duckworth said of the phone call with Malzahn.
The proactive approach is always the best course of action when it comes to acquiring talent. It'll be interesting to see how fast Florida State sets up a visit with Duckworth, which will be his first with the program since June of 2023.
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