Akili Smith Jr. (Photo: Jason Fairchild, 247Sports)
EUGENE, Ore. — Oregon has a case for the most talented quarterback room in the country. It's a room includes multiple former 5-stars, led by a projected top NFL Draft talent in Dante Moore.
But even in a room that features Moore and Dylan Raiola, it's redshirt freshman Akili Smith Jr. whose raw throwing potential stands out most. According to new QB coach Koa Ka'ai, Smith's arm talent is second to none.
"You want to talk about guys with the top arm talent in the room, KJ is probably atop of that," he said on Tuesday. "He's got all the intangibles. He's got the size. He's got the height. He's got the speed. He's got the arm strength."
That's high praise. It helps that Moore isn't running away from it. He's seen the 6-foot-5 Duck legacy make some absurd throws this spring.
"His arm talent is insane. Today, I saw him throw like a 65-yard post down the field," Moore said. "I was like 'I've never seen that before, but that was a great throw'."
Smith's name has been a popular one since he signed with the Ducks nearly a year-and-a-half ago. The son of Akili Smith, a legendary Oregon quarterback, the youngster has long been a hot topic.
And even though Smith, who is commonly referred to as KJ, has unprecedented passing upside, he still remains a ways away in other areas, according to Ka'ai, Moore and head coach Dan Lanning.
"He's a big strong player. I think he's getting more and more comfortable in the pocket, but there's a lot we ask our quarterbacks to do, a lot more than what he was asked to do at times in his [high school] offense," Lanning explained. "It's a lot to absorb, and it's not easy just to pick up, but he's definitely grown mentally probably the most."
Per Ka'ai, who has now worked with Smith for two seasons, it's that transition that is most difficult to overcome from younger quarterbacks. Oregon's offense isn't straightforward or simple. It requires a greater breadth of knowledge to master, and Smith isn't there yet.
"I think for him and for any high school quarterback, when you come from high school, what are you usually running? Some type of spread system, something that's pretty simplistic. We're a little bit more NFL-esque here, which is beneficial for our guys, but that acclimation is kind of tough when you transition from high school to college," he explained. "You're not just playing against better players, now the system is a little different. I think he's acclimated well. We've definitely seen improvements this spring, and I look forward to seeing what the rest of spring looks like for him and especially fall camp."
Also in Smith's corner is Moore. Not only is he an asset for the on-field quarterbacking, but also for everything the position requires mentally. He's been just as impressed with Smith's accountability as he has been with the rocket attached to his right shoulder.
"He's very young, so he's making mistakes that happen practice, but one thing I love about him, and I told him this morning, is that he knows when he messes up and he's going to take the blame, and of course if someone else messes up, as a quarterback, you always have to take the blame.," he said. "He's doing a great job of watching the film and when he does make mistakes, that he doesn't do it again.
"Mentally he's getting better. He's been doing a great job taking leaps, and he's getting better day-by-day."
Smith was the No. 15 quarterback in the 2025 class, according to 247Sports. He did not see game action last fall, but did complete 4-of-5 passes for 54 yards in the 2025 spring game.