Clark Lea’s recruiting just hit its first little bump. He brought in an in-state five-star quarterback, Jared Curtis. Everyone was sold, and the NIL numbers were louder, but then reality hit. And now? It’s already led to a decommitment from another quarterback in the same cycle.

That brings us to four-star Woodville (Texas) High quarterback Luke Babin, who has officially decommitted from Vanderbilt after being committed to the program since September 2025. Babin was the first member of the Commodores’ 2027 class to reopen his recruitment.

“I want to thank Coach Lea and the whole staff for the great opportunity and belief they showed in me,” Babin said. “At this time I am reopening my recruitment to explore the options I have and the best possible fit for my future before I lock-in somewhere.”

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound junior is coming off a massive season. He threw for over 3,000 yards and 40 touchdowns. and led Woodville to a 9-3 record and a UIL 3A playoff appearance. What makes this move sting for Vanderbilt is how locked-in Babin once sounded. He talked about how the staff made the trip to Woodville, and how much that meant.

“They were one of the schools that traveled to Woodville to visit with me,” he said back when he committed, the first in his cycle. “When I visited campus, I loved the coaches, the players, and the school.“Coach [Clark] Lea has developed a great atmosphere of high standards, discipline and teamwork,” he added. “It just felt like the kind of program I want to be a part of.”

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He even pointed out how every player in the room introduced themselves. “Basically, everybody just seemed squared away and ready to win.”

And it won’t take long for the next chapter to start. Oklahoma State Cowboys football and head coach Eric Morris are hunting for their quarterback in the 2027 class, and Babin’s name is very much in that mix. He had recently announced an offer from Oklahoma State on Feb 2, adding to a list that already includes Baylor, Houston, TCU, Texas Tech, Vanderbilt, and UTSA.

And Babin once said “I love the other schools that offered me and have a good relationship with those coaches, I really appreciate all of them. Ultimately, it[Vanderbilt] was a combination of things that made it an easy decision for me.”

Maybe Vanderbilt felt easy back when he became the first commit in that 2027 class. But now it’s not. But looking back, it all really started when Jared Curtis flipped his commitment on December 2.

Why Jared Curtis flipped to Vanderbilt

What really makes the Jared Curtis story hit harder than just another flip? It’s not only about the cash. Yes, the NIL valuation jumps off the page. It is  projected $1.7 million as per On3. A partnership with Auto Pro Nashville, a luxury dealership casually posting him next to brands like Lamborghini and Ferrari.

But the real shift feels deeper than that. Curtis is a Nashville kid. He has won state titles at Nashville Christian. He grew up around this program and wants to stay around.

“I do love Georgia, I love the coaches and players there. They have been so good to me and my family. I know they would do everything to help me be successful,” Curtis wrote in a statement on X. “… The past year it’s where I wanted to be and definitely where my parents have wanted me to go. That’s part of what makes this so hard. … But I gotta walk my path that feels right in my heart, (and) at the end of the day this has to be my decision.

And then, suddenly, Vanderbilt stopped feeling like the SEC afterthought anymore. Diego Pavia really changed the whole energy with ten wins and Heisman buzz. For the first time in years, Vanderbilt looked like a place where a quarterback could actually build something solid amid brutal SEC grind. And Clark Lea pretty much sold Curtis on being the guy who pushes it even further.

“Being here in Nashville and seeing what Vandy has been doing this season has been amazing. And over the past few weeks, I felt more and more that I wanna be a part of that, to be close to home, to play in front of my family and friends and to be what I love to be, an underdog. I am excited to be a Dore and excited to be part of building something here at home with Coach Lea,” Curtis wrote.

And then there’s the harsh truth about playing time. At Georgia, nothing is guaranteed. Kirby Smart doesn’t hand starting jobs to true freshmen, not even five-star. Gunner Stockton is in the room. The depth chart is crowded. At Vanderbilt? Pavia’s gone. The path is maybe not guaranteed, but it’s visible at least. Adding on, if you look at the possibility that Vanderbilt’s NIL package topped Georgia’s reported offer, and suddenly the “upset” doesn’t look so shocking.