Money behind No. 1 QB's NIL deal backs up Kirby Smart's blueprint at Georgia

As some college football programs share millions of dollars in NIL packages to high school recruits, head coach Kirby Smart's Georgia Bulldogs claim they are prioritizing relationships.

NIL money is beginning to build on the high school recruiting trail in the post-House settlement era, as schools are allowed to share up to $20.5 million directly to athletes this year.

Five-star recruits like offensive tackle Felix Ojo (Texas Tech commit) and tight end Mark Bowman (USC), among others, have reportedly signed lofty rev-share deals in exchange for their commitments.

Ojo's three-year, $5.1 million rev-share deal with Texas Tech is believed to be the largest such agreement in history at the time. And Bowman is expected to be the highest-paid tight end recruit in history on a multi-year deal worth upwards of $5 million, according to On3's Pete Nakos.

Smart and Co. missed out on Bowman and others in the 2026 class. But not in the race for No. 1 quarterback Jared Curtis, who re-committed to UGA over Oregon back in May.

Holding a $1.8 million On3 NIL valuation before his senior high school season, Curtis is expected to make approximately $750,000 during his true freshman season at Georgia, per Nakos.

In a world where players like Ojo and Bowman are inking NIL deals worth millions in their first season, Curtis' agreement isn't as valuable as one might expect. According to Smart, though, that deal backs up UGA's blueprint.

"We sell relationships over transactions," Smart said at SEC Media Days. "We think the relationship still wins out, because the relationship allows you to push people and demand excellence. And we're going to continue to do that at Georgia."

It's unclear what Smart and Co. are sharing to players this year, but the recruiting train in Athens is still rolling. The Bulldogs, which rank second in blue-chip ratio, hold the nation's No. 2 class in the 2026 cycle and haven't finished outside the top-five under Smart.