Vanderbilt flips 5-star QB Curtis from Georgia before early signing period

Jared Curtis, the No. 2 quarterback and the fifth-ranked overall prospect in the 2026 recruiting class, has flipped his commitment from Georgia to Vanderbilt, he told Hayes Fawcett of Rivals on Tuesday.

The Nashville native verbally committed to the Bulldogs in May and now becomes the Commodores' highest-ranked recruit in program history. Curtis' decision comes ahead of the NCAA's early signing period, which begins Wednesday.

With Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia's eligibility set to run out after the 2025 campaign, Curtis will have an opportunity to compete for the starting job as a freshman. The chance to start in his first year played a crucial role in the decision to flip his commitment, according to On3's Steve Wiltfong.

The 6-foot-4, 225-pound passer currently plays for Nashville Christian High School. In 2024, he led the team to a 12-1 record and a Division II-A state championship, throwing for 2,830 yards, 40 touchdowns, and three interceptions.

Vanderbilt signed head coach Clark Lea to a six-year extension last week and, days later, finished the regular season with a 10-2 record following a 45-24 win over Tennessee.