It’s been a couple of months since five-star quarterback Jared Curtis made headlines by flipping his commitment from Georgia to Vanderbilt, and now we’re finally getting a clearer picture of just how that move came together - and why.
According to new information released this week, Curtis is among the highest-paid recruits in the 2026 class. Alongside Miami offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell and USC tight end Mark Bowman, Curtis is reportedly set to earn north of $1.5 million in his first year through NIL deals. That’s a staggering number for any player, let alone a true freshman, but it speaks volumes about how highly Vanderbilt values Curtis - and how serious they are about building something big around him.
Georgia, for its part, didn’t exactly sit on its hands. The Bulldogs made a strong push to keep Curtis in the fold, offering a competitive NIL package that reportedly approached $1 million. That offer was enough to bring Curtis back into the Georgia camp at one point - remember, this was his second commitment to the Dawgs after initially decommitting back in 2024.
But in the end, Vanderbilt’s offer blew Georgia’s out of the water, and that was a line Kirby Smart wasn’t willing to cross.
Smart has made his stance on NIL spending pretty clear over the past few seasons: he’s not going to break the bank for unproven talent. It’s a philosophy rooted in long-term program culture and roster balance - and while it may cost Georgia a blue-chip player here and there, it’s hard to argue with the results the Dawgs have put on the field under his leadership.
So while losing Curtis stings - especially to a conference rival - Georgia isn’t exactly scrambling. The Bulldogs still locked down one of the top recruiting classes in the country and added some serious depth at quarterback by bringing in Bryson Beaver from Oregon via the transfer portal. Beaver was ranked as the No. 12 quarterback in the 2026 class, and he brings a strong arm and valuable experience to Athens.
The real intrigue now shifts to October 3, when Curtis and Vanderbilt make the trip to Athens. That game just got a whole lot more interesting. Not only will it be a chance for Georgia to see what they missed out on, but it’s also an opportunity to show that the program’s long-term vision - one that doesn’t hinge on outbidding everyone in the NIL arms race - still holds up when the lights are brightest.
Vanderbilt, meanwhile, is betting big on Curtis. And if he lives up to the hype, he could be the kind of player who changes the trajectory of a program. But that’s a big “if,” and in the SEC, there’s no such thing as a soft landing.
One thing’s for sure: this NIL era is reshaping college football in real time. And with recruits like Curtis commanding seven-figure deals before ever taking a collegiate snap, the stakes - and the expectations - have never been higher.