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Zebras' Smith decides to go to Michigan | Home News Tribune Online

"I had a pretty good idea that he wasn't going to come back this year, and I wasn't worried about that," Smith said of Carr. "I know Coach Rodriguez is a heck of a coach, and I'm real excited to play for him."

Smith, a 6-foot-3, 215-pound quarterback/safety, was rated the No. 2 senior prospect in the state by the national recruiting service Rivals.com. According to those ratings, he will join two more of the New Jersey's top six recruits in Ann Arbor, as West Windsor-Plainsboro South linebacker J.B. Fitzgerald and Holy Spirit linebacker Marcus Witherspoon, rated third and sixth, respectively, have also committed to Michigan.

Smith said he met both players on their official visit to the university, centered around the Wolverines' Nov. 22 upset of then-No. 10 Penn State, striking up a friendship with Fitzgerald in particular.

"I gotta get ahold of J.B. right now," Smith said, laughing. "That's one of my closest boys in the state. Those are both my boys."

Smith threw for more than 2,500 yards and intercepted 24 passes as a two-way starter over the past three seasons at New Brunswick, leading his team to a 23-9 record and the 2006 NJSIAA North 2 Group III championship. He is yet another in a long line of Zebras players to go on to star at major Division I programs in recent years, a list which includes current Carolina Panthers wideout Dwayne Jarrett (Southern California), Wisconsin linebacker Jonathan Casillas and Connecticut running back Andre Dixon, among others.

"They kind of paved the way for me at New Brunswick," Smith said of the trio.

Smith will likely star on defense at Michigan, leaving the quarterback position behind.

"Wherever they want me to play, but I'm gonna play as a freshman," Smith said. When asked whether the coaching staff told him as much, he replied simply, "No, that's something I'm gonna make happen. I want to play."