Georgia dealt major recruiting blow with nation's top QB in 2026 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Georgia received bad recruiting news as five-star quarterback Jared Curtis, the Bulldogs’ top commitment in the 2026 class, has emerged as a serious flip watch target for Vanderbilt, according to On3.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementCurtis, the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2026 cycle and the top prospect from Tennessee, has been verbally committed to Georgia since May. But as the early signing period approaches, momentum is shifting. Vanderbilt has aggressively pursued Curtis, hosting him for a game against Missouri on Oct. 25.
The visit included meetings with Commodores head coach Clark Lea and stops to observe practice, fueling speculation that the trip carried weight beyond the hometown tie and an accompanying College GameDay appearance.
Curtis, a Nashville prep standout listed at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, also attended Georgia’s matchup with Texas this year with the intent he's still on board with Kirby Smart's squad. However, recruiting intel now favors Vanderbilt completing the flip, with Curtis’ forecast reflecting trending confidence in the Commodores’ direction.
This would be a monumental addition for Lea, who reportedly signed a new six-year extension on Friday. One of Curtis' conditions to having Vanderbilt in his top teams was the future of Lea being in Nashville. With that now solved, Curtis is viewed as a lock.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWith Heisman candidate Diego Pavia exhausting his eligibility after the season, Curtis views Vanderbilt’s depth chart as a legitimate runway to compete for QB1. Georgia could offer only competition for a potential QB2 role behind the Bulldogs’ own Heisman contender Gunner Stockton
Curtis has thrown for 9,330 passing yards, 120 touchdowns, along with 2,113 rushing yards and 47 rushing scores. His team is competing for a second straight Tennessee state championship.
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