This Sentell’s Intel rep on Georgia football recruiting has the latest with 5-star Nashville Christian QB Jared Curtis. He ranks as the nation’s No. 1 QB and the No. 4 overall prospect for 2026 for both the 247Sports Composite and the Rivals Industry Ranking.
Jared Curtis bought his own ticket for Vanderbilt’s historic Top 20 clash with Missouri last Saturday.
That was the week when several headlines sent DawgNation hearts racing about the thought of losing the nation’s top-ranked QB in the Class of 2026.
Most saw those headlines and were also made aware that he was at a Vanderbilt practice earlier in the week.
The wonder here is how many of those knew that Curtis went to practice that week for a senior project. Curtis visited Vanderbilt football for a “Senior Shadow Day” in Nashville.
That’s where seniors find a career in their chosen industry and mirror a professional. Given that Curtis plans to earn his living playing football for at least the next 15 years, that was, according to those close to Curtis, a logical play for that activity.
Nashville Christian coach Jeff Brothers confirmed that fact regarding the ticket. The Vanderbilt grad is also a former quarterback and defensive back for the Commodores.
Curtis visited Vanderbilt twice that week. He also heard his name called out on three separate occasions during last week’s “College Gameday” live hit.
What should folks make of that the week following those headlines and social media posts?
“He went because it was a top 15 game right here in town and ‘Gameday’ was here,” Brothers said. “There was a bunch of excitement. He wanted to check it out. So he did.”
“It is a lot of fun right now with what Vanderbilt has got going on and ”Gameday” coming here. What was it? 1940 or whatever was the last top 15 matchup here in Nashville? They’re playing well and he’s kind of struck up a friendship with Diego (Pavia) and just local guys. We didn’t go with a recruiting group or any of that kind of stuff. He bought a ticket and we sat up away from all that just watching the game."
Curtis wanted to go with his teammate, TJ Ward. Ward is perhaps one of only three other players on the Nashville Christian team with legit Power 4 potential. When Curtis expressed that, Brothers said he’d go with him. There were a couple of Nashville Christian assistants who wanted to tag along.
What does Brothers think about all this talk of a potential flip away from the Dawgs?
“At this day and age of football, there are all kinds of storylines and narratives and all that kind of stuff,” he said. “It is interesting what is happening with Vanderbilt right now. Right now the [Tennessee] Titans are doing any good. The [Nashville] Predators aren’t doing any good and Nashville needs a team and Vanderbilt is doing it. So it’s just fun."
While in the midst of listening to the next question, Brothers deemed it necessary to add one more point about the matter.
“If you’re writing all of this, too, I would add this,” he continued. “He’s committed to Georgia. He hasn’t decommitted. He hasn’t opened up recruiting. He’s just having fun in his senior year, which is what I told him I wanted him to do.”
That was a big exposure week for Curtis and his brand. What has this week been about?
Pretty much football. Curtis and his Eagles have now won 19 straight games and are 9-0 this season.
Curtis has been sipping a lot of Gatorade in the second half over the last few weeks. He’s thrown 12 touchdowns in his previous two outings despite not playing full games.
“They don’t get to play much after halftime,” Brothers said. “They deserve it. They work hard all year. They lift. They have been together since the sixth grade, most of them. They want to play their senior year, and it is not very fun, and play a half and be so far ahead that they can’t play the second half.”
Brothers promised his first-team guys that they would get three quarters last week. They did. It presents an ethical dilemma for him, particularly against an opposing staff with whom he has coaching buddies on the team.
Curtis missed two games this year with an ankle injury. He’s only played in seven of their nine wins. He’s played in four quarters in just two of those games.
That won’t be the case this week. Those days are over.
Nashville Christian will face a longtime rival, Friendship Christian, for the region championship. The Commanders come in with an 8-1 record.
“A tough game,” Brothers said. “This is a tough team. This is one team that has beaten us. Well, a little bit before Jared got to high school, they beat us in the [state] semifinal. Then in his freshman year, they beat us in the finals. His sophomore year, they beat us in the semifinals.”
“This is a hurdle. This is a team that believes, and rightfully so, that they can play right there with us.”
Nashville Christian won the state title for their classification in Tennessee last season, but did not face Friendship Christian. The last time these two teams met, Curtis and his Eagles were whipped 56-14 in the semifinals.
The 5-star UGA commit was a freshman starter back in 2022 when FCA won 34-27 in the state title game.
There’s some history here.
“They’ve got a big offensive line,” Brothers said. “They’ve got a toughness and a grit about their program. Their coach has been there a long, long time. They’ve won championships and so it is what you want in a region championship as far as a matchup. We’ve got our work cut out for us. We’ve got to play well. He’s got to play well. He knows the game plan. Protecting the ball will be important. Making good decisions will be important. Scoring when we have the opportunity to score is going to be important because it is not going to be dial it up and strike up the band because there’s something to this. He’s excited about it. We’re excited about it."
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