This Sentell’s Intel rep on Georgia football recruiting has the latest with 5-star QB commit Jared Curtis. He’s the nation’s No. 1 QB and No. 1 overall prospect for 2026 for the 247Sports Composite. The Rivals Industry Ranking lists him as the nation’s No. 1 QB and No. 3 overall.
This was the week to roll out a few behind-the-scenes stories on Jared Curtis.
There is a good one about how his unselfish play on one of his many highlights showed how much the nation’s No. 1 QB prospect loves his team. Or how his in-game sideline chats often involve how he can make sure his teammates get in on the highlights, too.
Instead of all that, there were calls made and text messages sent to gauge whether the weekend buzz that the 5-star might flip to Vanderbilt had merit. Is it now not a matter of if, but when he flips?
That’s not what I’m hearing. It is somehow now noteworthy to point out that Curtis still shared pro-Georgia recruiting posts on his Instagram story on Sunday night. There’s also the fact that his mother has subtly dropped red and black hearts on her social media posts to consider.
Here’s something to go ahead and get ahead of here: Curtis will not sign on the first day of the early signing period on December 3. He will be traveling to Chattanooga to play for a repeat state title with his Nashville Christian team. That game will be on Dec. 4, so he won’t publicly sign with anyone that day either.
I’m hearing the current plan is to sign with the school of his choice that Friday, the day before the SEC championship game. That’s how long this story will have legs.
When 247Sports national analyst Tom Loy wrote this weekend, he felt Vanderbilt would eventually flip Curtis; that was his opinion. Loy is a hard worker; he’s well-sourced and well-respected across the recruiting industry.
It is his job to share his opinion on what he’s hearing. Here are a few of my own:
- I learned this a long time ago while covering the unstable hearts and minds of impressionable 17- to 19-year-old recruits: Anything can happen. Never say never. That includes what’s going on with Curtis. Even if his infant nephew was wearing a Georgia onesie at the Texas game this year. Even if he has UGA gear and stuffed animals in his room.
- I’d be surprised if Curtis goes Commodore. Stunned? Perhaps mildly. To the best of my knowledge, Vanderbilt has never hosted Curtis and his family on a recruiting visit. It would be stunning to know that and see him flip away from a school he’s already committed to twice.
- Here’s what I don’t know: I don’t see why Team Curtis doesn’t make a statement to make this story a non-starter if his clear intent is to sign with Georgia. But that may also be a matter of he’s already said he was 100% committed after a recent game visit to Vandy when ESPN’s “College Gameday” was in town.
- He is trying to lead his team to another state title. Does he need to come out and recommit to UGA after every report like he’s the red lamp at the doughnut shop? Especially when he didn’t do anything to create the latest news cycle?
- I do believe this back-and-forth with Curtis is starting to wear on the Georgia fan base. That shouldn’t be the case. This would be a signing worth multiple fist pumps, but what is starting to take hold is fans talking themselves out of how much they wanted to see Curtis in red and black in the first place. They don’t want another 11th-hour Dylan Raiola flip, even though the two recruitments are not the same.
- Here’s what I do know: If Curtis flips to Vanderbilt, it will not be about money. It will be about the opportunity to play right away.
There are layers of reason for this, but if Curtis wanted more money, he’d be committed to Oregon or South Carolina right now. Georgia didn’t have the highest bid. The Bulldogs just had the best combinations of relationships and NFL development.
That hasn’t changed. I’ve taken several trips to Nashville since he first committed to UGA in March of 2024. That included covering the best game of his varsity career this fall. DawgNation was also there for his recommitment ceremony.
Curtis has shared many times what he’s looking for in his college fit.
- Stability (Georgia has that at the head coach and offensive coordinator position)
- The chance to win championships (SEC and College Football Playoff)
- Winning the Heisman Trophy
- To go No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft
Vanderbilt has had nine first-round picks in its history, including four since 1960. Georgia has had eight first-rounders since Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have been publicly dating.
The Commodores had one No. 1 overall NFL draft pick (a QB) back in 1952. The Commodores have zero Heisman winners and national championships. The program is trying to pull an Auburn and make a case to claim national titles for 1921 and 1922.
Who will protect Curtis against SEC defenders? Who will get him the ball back? Who will be his playmakers? The Vanderbilt staff is a highly capable bunch, but its roster is nowhere near as good as the one in Athens. Especially after the Commodores graduate a legion of seniors from this year’s team.
The program is still seeking its first 10-win season in school history. Kirby Smart has had only two seasons in his 10 years when his Dawgs didn’t win at least 11 games. That was his first team and the COVID-shortened slate in 2020.
Vanderbilt is still trying to learn its marquee QB can’t give a shoutout to an unsigned 5-star recruit in a press conference. That, as much as the NCAA rule goalposts keep moving these days, used to be a recruiting violation.
Georgia has not one, but two members of its staff who signed the No. 1 QB prospect and coached them up into the NFL’s No. 1 overall draft pick. That’s what Mike Bobo did with Matthew Stafford a generation ago and what former Clemson assistant Brandon Streeter did with Trevor Lawrence in 2018.
That has always been a significant selling point for the Dawgs. The Commodores can’t counter that.
We reported weeks ago that the only real card Vanderbilt had to play was the chance to play immediately. As a true freshman at Georgia, he’ll likely watch Georgia’s Gunner Stockton in his final season of eligibility. Stockton has played at an optimal level this fall with a 71% completion rate, 27 total TDs and just four interceptions.
That said, all of that was in place when Curtis recommitted to UGA in May.
Curtis could redshirt one year at UGA and battle it out at Georgia for the right to start in 2027. If he earned the job, he’d still be closer to playing for championships and a Heisman than playing his second season at Vanderbilt.
This is also the time of year when clicks are optimized on recruiting sites and when coaches lobby for multi-year extensions.
It is also the time of year when folks want to be right. Or don’t want to look wrong. This is just reporting. I’m sharing what I’m hearing and offering my perspective.
Will he? Won’t he? My read is that none of that will happen unless Clark Lea gets an extension and the Curtis family takes an official visit to Vanderbilt.
The dead period opens up on Dec. 1. A school can’t host a prospect on campus after that date. That’s not likely.
The feeling here is that Curtis has been, is and will remain a Dawg.
Have you subscribed to the DawgNation YouTube channel yet? If so, you will see special 1-on-1 content with key 2026 prospects like Jared Curtis, Lincoln Keyes, Brady Marchese and Kaiden Prothro.
Have you seen this week’s “Before the Hedges” weekly recruiting special on YouTube yet? Check it out below.
SENTELL’S INTEL
(Check on the recent reads on Georgia football recruiting)
