By: Michael Spiers

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

Jared Curtis, the No. 1 quarterback in the 2026 recruiting class, is officially back on board with the University of Georgia.

After decommitting from the Bulldogs last year, the five-star standout from Nashville Christian School made his return to the Dawgs during a commitment ceremony on May 5^th that was anything but low-key.

Curtis walked into the gym early wearing a sleek all-black tracksuit, with his parents dressed in long black coats. The big moment came when he shared the news and rolled a commitment video on the big screen above the gym floor. Oregon made a serious push, but Georgia came out on top.

So why did Curtis choose to recommit to the Bulldogs? It came down to coaching. “Just the stability in the coaching staff and knowing Coach Smart and Coach Mike Bobo are there,” he said. “Those are my two biggest commitments at UGA.” Curtis said that consistency meant more to him than anything else, including NIL money.

With his commitment, Georgia’s 2026 recruiting class got a big boost, going from No. 25 to No. 17 in the national rankings. He’s the first five-star in the class for the Dawgs, but he might not be the last.

Georgia’s hoping to pair Curtis with Jackson Cantwell, a 6-foot-7, 300-pound offensive tackle and the No. 1 overall recruit in the class. Cantwell is a large human being.

If Georgia can land Cantwell too, they’d have the top quarterback and the top lineman in the country. That combination could put UGA on track to have the best recruiting class in the nation, just like when they signed Matthew Stafford back in 2006.

Speaking of Stafford, that’s the name that keeps coming up when people talk about Curtis. The comparisons make sense. Both are big, strong-armed quarterbacks who weren’t afraid to take chances.

Curtis is listed at 6-3 and 225 pounds and is known for throwing darts all over the field. He’s not necessarily a run first guy, but he moves well, throws on the run, and has serious arm talent. It feels cliché to say this, but I don’t think there is a throw he can’t make.

Also, like Stafford, Curtis has that “gunslinger” mentality. I’ve watched a bunch of his highlight reels and he is definitely not afraid to take risks and try to make something happen, even if it means forcing a throw now and then.

He had a game this past fall with a perfect stat line. In Nashville Christian’s 53-point win over rival Clarksville Academy, he went 16 for 16 with 259 passing yards and 5 total touchdowns.

If you have some time to kill, do yourself a favor and type his name into the search bar on YouTube. You can thank me later.

This cat is the kind of quarterback who can take over a game, and he’s the kind of player Georgia fans should be excited about.

In today’s college football world, five-star quarterbacks usually come with big-dollar deals. According to reports, Curtis will be part of a strong NIL package at Georgia that will include revenue sharing, endorsement deals, and collective support, but Curtis is adamant that money wasn’t the driving factor. His agent said NIL probably made up only 10-15% of the decision.

“If Jared was chasing the best compensation package, this may have been over a long time ago,” said Peter Webb, his agent.

In fact, neither Georgia nor Oregon had the highest offer. Curtis chose Georgia because of relationships, not cash.

For head coach Kirby Smart and offensive coordinator Mike Bobo, this is a massive win. They brought Curtis back into the fold and now have him leading the charge for more elite talent.

With momentum building and top recruits still on the board, the Bulldogs could be in for a huge 2026 class. It looks like Georgia just got its quarterback of the future.