No. 1 quarterback eliminates FSU Football from contention

Originally posted on Florida State Seminoles on SI
By Dustin Lewis | Last updated Feb 24, 2025 1:07 PM ET

Nearly a month has passed since Florida State lost the top commitment in its 2026 class, four-star quarterback Brady Smigiel. After pledging to the Seminoles last summer, Smigiel decided to re-open his recruitment following the program's 2-10 season and decision to hire Gus Malzahn to run the offense.

In the aftermath of the move, Florida State has been searching for a new quarterback to lead #Tribe26. The options included a longshot as head coach Mike Norvell and quarterbacks coach Tony Tokarz made their way to Tennessee last month to meet with five-star signal-caller and No. 1 QB, Jared Curtis.

Over the weekend, Curtis cut his recruitment down to two schools. The Seminoles were not included as Curtis plans to focus on Georgia and Oregon moving forward. That doesn't really come as a surprise considering the Bulldogs and Ducks are two of the top programs in the country.

FSU really needed to secure a visit to have any shot at Curtis, who hasn't been in Tallahassee since 2023. Obviously, that didn't transpire so now the Seminoles will turn to other options.

Curtis is coming off a junior season at Nashville Christian High School where he completed 179/255 passes for 2,830 yards with 40 touchdowns to three interceptions while adding 88 rushes for 637 yards and 18 more scores. He tossed 4+ touchdowns in five different games, including six touchdowns in a 62-34 playoff victory against Jackson Christian on November 11.

The Tennessee native completed a season-high 27/37 passes for 371 yards with two touchdowns and zero interceptions along with three scores on the ground in a 45-7 win against Columbia Academy on October 11. Curtis led his team to a 12-1 record and a state championship.

BREAKING: Five-Star QB Jared Curtis is down to 2️⃣ Schools, he tells me for @on3recruits

The Nation’s No. 1 QB has canceled his Official Visits to Auburn and South Carolina

He will only be taking OVs to Georgia and Oregonhttps://t.co/HsulXigmGC pic.twitter.com/R0Ycq1FNSH
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) February 22, 2025

The Seminoles extended offers to five-star Keisean Henderson, four-star Landon Duckworth, and four-star Bentley Bowe in January. Duckworth is the most realistic option for FSU at this stage considering his relationship with Malzahn that dates back to his time at UCF.

Florida State holds seven verbal commitments in its 2026 class which ranks No. 11 in the country.