UCF all in for QB Smith

UCF appears to have their No. 1 quarterback target for the 2016 recruiting class.

Sawyer Smith, a 6-foot-3, 200-pound signal caller from Tate High School near Pensacola, received news of his official offer on Thursday during a phone conversation with offensive coordinator Brent Key. The area recruiter, Lorenzo Costantini, had already dropped by the school last week.

"I always wanted that offer from UCF," Sawyer said. "They caught my attention when Blake Bortles was there. He obviously caught a lot of people's attention. I've followed his career. I'm about his height. I feel like I can play the game like he did and do what he's doing right now. That's made me like UCF."

Sawyer has been in communication with the coaching staff since last year, attending the home game against SMU and returning in March for the Junior Day.

"I've spoken to Coach Key a few times," Sawyer said. "They always say they like how I make all the throws. They like my arm action. I can get the ball wherever it needs to go with my arm strength."

Offer now in hand, Sawyer said UCF rises to a top group that also includes Mississippi State, Southern Miss and Troy.

"I obviously love the football (at UCF)," Smith said. "I like the coaches and everything they've got going on. The school, I like the location in Orlando. You've got everything around you. It's a big school obviously. You'd have a lot of people to talk to. That's drawn me in."

As a December high school graduate, combined with the fact quarterbacks don't usually have the luxury of extending the process, Smith says a decision is coming soon, possibly "as soon as next week."

"I'm going to talk to my family first obviously," Smith said. "My parents, brother, grandparents. After that I'll look at the schools and where I can get some playing time. Third is education for the future if football doesn't work out."

Smith admitted UCF's depth chart situation is ideal. Assuming he retains his job, starting quarterback Justin Holman would be a senior in 2016.

"Redshirt my freshman year is what I'd want to do in that situation," Smith said. "Get that year in behind him. He obviously knows what he's doing. I'd like to know what he knows and get ready for that offense. That would be good, then the competition starts. That would be good timing for me."

As a junior at Tate, Smith passed for 2,304 yards and 19 touchdowns. He ran for 440 yards and an additional seven scores. He also threw nine interceptions.

"I was pretty happy with my junior year," Smith said. "We did a lot of good things for Tate. Won a few games, went to the playoffs. We won the first one and then lost to Niceville in the second round. They've been a powerhouse the past few years. We'll get after them this year and go far. I think we look pretty good. We have some playmakers."

One of those playmakers is wide receiver Reginald Payne, who also has captured the attention of UCF.

"He's the guy inside the 20 I'll throw a fade to and he's going to bring it down for sure," Smith said. "He makes the big plays we feed off of. It's great having him on the field. He can get us out of bad situations."