This Sentell’s Intel rep on Georgia football recruiting has the latest with 5-star QB commitment Jared Curtis. He ranks as the nation’s No. 1 QB and the No. 8 overall prospect for 2026 on the 247Sports Composite. The On3 Industry Ranking has him as the No. 1 QB and at No. 7 overall.
BRADENTON, Fla. -- Jared Curtis came down to the Under Armour “Future 50″ event on the campus of IMG Academy to learn about the class of 2026.
He’s not the traditional recruit. While he will check out Instagram and TikTok, he’s not always on his phone. Curtis has grown up spending a lot of time outdoors and remains that way.
That’s why he doesn’t really know a lot about the other elite recruits in the 2026 class. Not yet. He will eventually know everyone that he needs to aid in the recruiting efforts to bring them to Athens.
This is the NIL era now, but the flute of the nation’s No. 1 QB in his class can still play an enchanting tune.
Curtis got a good look at some of the nation’s best skill guys in his class at the “Future 50″ event held over two days this weekend.
The 5-star had plenty of time to play talent scout because he wasn’t able to compete. He recently suffered an accident on the water that resulted in a broken middle finger. He’s out another three to four weeks while his healing joint resides in a splint.
“I was kayaking with my girlfriend at the river,” he said. “We were on top of a rock and there was a rope swing so we wanted to go off of it so we usually use a stick. The stick broke. Her Dad couldn’t reach it. I tried to jump up there and use my momentum as soon as I jumped out an grabbed on it, it snapped.”
“Got back to the rock, like I never went in the water, and got back to the rock and I looked down at it and it is all messed up.”
It just didn’t look right.
“I kind of popped it back in place and we had to kayak [back] and then we went to the hospital. It was an adventurous day.”
It reminds one of the boating incident that happened with former Georgia QB Jake Fromm over the July 4th weekend when he was the starting QB at Georgia. He also suffered a mishap to this hand, but was able to recover and did not miss any time.
That wore on him all week.
“I just wish I could throw, man,” he said over and over. “I just want to throw.”
He could not. But he was able to shed light on a few recent recruiting events with DawgNation. Those included:
- His recent unofficial visit to UGA that took place while key recruits in the 2025 class were on their official visits
- What his recent offer from USC means here, if anything
- How he feels about his UGA commitment and when he will return to Athens
Aside from getting the chance to size up the 224-pound Curtis in person, a key benefit of the trip was to be able to see his size in person. The 6-foot-4 Curtis looks to have grown at least a half-inch since the last time UGA saw his shortly after his UGA commitment back in March.
Curtis was eye level with some other top 5-star prospects in the 2026 class like North Carolina TE Kendre Harrison and Louisiana DL Jahkeem Stewert.
His size and broad frame compared favorably to the other elite QB commits on hand at the event that were committed to Florida, FSU, Notre Dame and Texas, respectively.
His family doctor tells him that he’s still growing and should top out around the 6-foot-5 mark by the time he arrives in Athens.
What about that USC offer? What does that mean other than another chance for Georgia coach Kirby Smart to get in another sparring match with Lincoln Riley and his Trojans?
USC wanted to get him on campus before they offered him. Do the Dawgs have anything to worry about there?
“No, sir,” Curtis said. “Definitely a hundred percent locked in with the Dawgs. I liked USC a lot. Of course, they develop quarterbacks as well but I’m still 100 percent committed to Georgia. For sure.”
What keeps it that way?
It starts with the relationship the Curtis family has with Georgia quarterbacks coach Mike Bobo, offensive analyst “Gummy” Van Gorder and head coach Kirby Smart.
“The connection I have with Coach Bobo and Coach Gummy is like no other school that I’ve been to,” Curtis said. “Just the stability in the coaching staff. Like I know coach Smart and coach Bobo aren’t going anywhere so I’ll always know where the coaches there that are going to be there [at different college programs] and the coaches that aren’t [going to be there.]
When will 5-star junior QB commitment Jared Curtis be back in Athens?
Curtis was impressed when he got the chance to recently meet Georgia quarterback Carson Beck. The current odds-on Heisman Trophy came across as very nice when they spoke.
The same goes for freshman QB Ryan Puglisi.
“They’re really cool guys,” he said. “I can’t wait to get up there with them.”
Curtis and his family plan to be in Athens for the last week of July for the annual summer sendoff cookout. He’ll be able to throw and work out then.
That’s good to know given that he was just in Athens earlier this month. Curtis came in on an unofficial visit while the Dawgs were hosting several 2025 key targets on their official visits.
“I think it was last weekend actually,” he said. “I went up there, hung out with Ryan and went over some film and boardwork with Ryan and then we went and hung out with Carson a little bit and all their roommates. It was a good time. We went out to eat. I really liked it.”
He got to chat with Bobo and Smart again, too.
“They were messing with me a little bit, about USC” Curtis said. “But I will probably get that. It is what it is. There are no hard feelings. But definitely 100 percent committed to Georgia.”
“They were like just come back up for the Bar-B-Q so I’ll be up there the 27th.”
Curtis said that finger is getting strong and he can start to bend the joint now. He will ice it.
“Shouldn’t be too much longer,” he said.
Puglisi gave him a good idea of life as a QB in Bobo’s room in Athens.
“Just a great place to be at,” Curtis said. “He said itt’s always fun. They are the same people every day and you get what you see out of there. Definitely the best place to play in the country he said.”
He said it was “definitely awesome” to see a sneak peek at what an official visit looks like.
“Can’t wait to do my official visit up there next year,” he said. “I saw a little bit of what I have to look forward to but definitely had a good time up there either way.”
He’s planning to get up to a couple of UGA games this fall.
“I don’t know which games yet but most of the home games I will probably be there,” he said.
USC had seen him throw earlier this year during the spring. That’s what they based the offer off of. They weren’t able to see him throw recently because of his broken finger from that kayak trip.
The offer came from USC offensive coordinator Luke Huard. He told Curtis they offered him because of his arm strength and his size. He saw him throw earlier this year during the spring.
“They offered me and talked to me a little bit,” Curtis said. “Wanted me to come back out there but as of right now still a Dawg. For sure.”
SENTELL’S INTEL
(check on the recent reads on Georgia football recruiting)
