Nepotism is often the name when it comes to college sports, with hundreds of children of famous professional athletes making their way to the NCAA each year.
The latest addition to this exclusive group shares a surname with a familiar face when it comes to the Saturday CFB slate. Another Leinart will make his collegiate debut in the coming years, as 2026 quarterback Cole Leinart committed to SMU on Wednesday, per a post to his X account.
The son of former USC and NFL quarterback Matt Leinart — now an analyst on Big Noon Kickoff for Fox Sports 1 — Cole received offers from Colorado, Arizona and Utah, among others, before going with the Mustangs. He is listed as a three-star recruit on 247Sports, though the 6-4 junior is not currently rated by ESPN, and becomes the second member of coach Rhett Lashlee’s 2026 class.
“The culture they’re building at SMU — I just want to be a part of it,” Cole told ESPN. “I love the coaching staff. They’re literally like family now. I just want to be part of what they have there.”
Here’s everything to know about whether Cole is related to Matt, explaining why the son of the former Heisman Trophy winner committed to SMU.
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Cole Leinart announces commitment to SMU
The righty posted his commitment to SMU on his social media accounts, nearly two decades after Matt finished a College Football Hall of Fame-worthy career with the Trojans.
Cole looks to follow in his father’s footsteps, ones that crossed paths with a 2004 BCS National Championship and two AP national championships, not to mention Heisman, Walter Camp, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm, and pairs of Archie Griffin and Quarterback of the Year awards.
SMU was one of the first schools to pursue Cole, offering him with former coach Sonny Dykes at the helm before he even began his freshman year of high school. Though Dykes left for TCU, Cole maintained a relationship with the coaching staff and Lashlee.
He visited Dallas for SMU’s 48-25 win over Pitt last Saturday, a victory that secured the No. 13 spot for the Mustangs in the first CFP rankings release for the new 12-team format — and their 2026 quarterback commit.
Way to go bud. Proud of you. This is just the beginning! #ponyup https://t.co/AsU9pXiltl
— Matt Leinart (@MattLeinartQB) November 6, 2024
Is Cole Leinart related to Matt Leinart?
Cole is Matt’s son, whom he had with former USC women’s basketball player Brynn Cameron while the two were playing for the school.
They started dating in 2005 and had been together for about a year before Cole was born, when Cameron was just 19. She is also known for her failed engagement with former NBA star Blake Griffin, with whom she had two children as well.
The junior started his high school career at his father’s alma mater, Mater Dei, before transferring to Newport Harbor for the 2023 season. Now, Cole is the quarterback at Redondo Union, where he debuted on Sept. 27 after sitting out four games because of California’s Interscholastic Federation transfer rules.
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How old is Matt Leinart?
Matt is 41, hailing from Santa Ana, Calif. The former Cardinals, Texans and Raiders slinger was born on May 11, 1983, and is now married to actress Josie Loren, who is best known for her cameos in the movie “17 Again” (2009) and TV series “Make It or Break It” (2009-12).
The pair have two kids, Cayson, 4, and Cannon, 3, and are expecting their third, the couple announced in August.
