No. 1 Quarterback Jared Curtis Has Arrived In Athens For Key Visit

Jared Curtis is the top-ranked quarterback in the Class of 2026. A 5-star from Nashville, Tennessee, Curtis was once committed to the Georgia Bulldogs but backed off that commitment and reopened his recruitment in December 2024. Curtis looked around and listened to various offers, but ultimately, two schools came into focus.

Oregon and Georgia are the remaining possible destinations for Curtis. A decision from the heavily sought-after signal caller could be coming soon, and Georgia is amid a tremendous opportunity to make their case right now. Rusty Mansell of On3 has reported that Curtis arrived in Athens for a multi-day visit on Wednesday night. This comes on the heels of a visit to Oregon to see Dan Lanning and the Ducks earlier in the week.

In the age of NIL, revenue sharing, and the transfer portal, opportunities for quarterbacks to seek greener pastures are plentiful. Georgia currently has four scholarship quarterbacks on its roster. Gunner Stockton and Ryan Puglisi are battling in spring practice for the QB1 job. It’s not unreasonable to think that the player who does not win the job could transfer out of Athens for an opportunity to play when the 2025 season is over.

Of course, that is assuming that everyone stays healthy and there is no Jacob Eason, Jake Fromm situation. Georgia also has two talented freshmen, Ryan Montgomery and Hezekiah Millender. Both have potential, but neither will be in a position to compete for the job this year. Georgia has a very talented preferred walk-on quarterback in Colter Ginn as well that will likely serve as the third string quarterback for Georgia this season.

Even with all of those options, a talent like Curtis is something you can never pass up. Also, Georgia will likely be one or two quarterbacks below the four scholarship quarterback standard that Smart and his staff like to maintain. The last time Georgia got in this kind of bind was in the 2019 season. Justin Fields had transferred to Ohio State, and the only two scholarship quarterbacks on the roster were Jake Fromm and Stetson Bennett IV. Two good options to have in retrospect, but at the time, Bennett had not developed into the guy that would lead Georgia to back-to-back national titles. Smart and his staff vowed never to be in that type of depth situation at the quarterback position ever again.

Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo and offensive quality control and assistant quarterbacks coach Montgomery VanGorder will be leading the efforts in recruiting Curtis and his family during their stay in Athens this week. Curtis has official visits scheduled to both Oregon and Georgia in June, but Georgia would love to preempt all of those activities this summer and secure a commitment sooner rather than later. Should Georgia get beat by Oregon for Curtis, look out for the Dawgs to turn up their pursuit of four-star recruits Jaden O’Neal, an Oklahoma commit, and Landen Duckworth, who is being recruited heavily by South Carolina and Central Florida.