The 2026 quarterback sweepstakes are officially in overdrive! Five-star Jared Curtis, the nation’s crowned prince of QBs, is the most wanted man in college football. This Nashville Christian gunslinger has already etched his name in the record books with 7,665 passing yards in just 37 games. Now, every program worth its salt is throwing its hat in the ring, but one SEC behemoth is making a particularly aggressive push. They’ve been down this road before, facing a previous setback in their pursuit of Curtis. 

Cousin Shane brought in DawgsHQ Rusty Mansell in a new episode on That SEC Football Podcast on February 17. And in the words of Mansell, Georgia might benefit from this race given the recruiting efforts of the Bulldogs’ OC and QB coach Mike Bobo. “I’ve been really consistent on this one,” he said. “He has some really really pro Georgia people in his circle, I mean there are some people that really want him at Georgia. There’s some people that really believe in Mike Bobo.”

Jared Curtis first committed to Georgia in March before decommitting in October. But this time, Mike Bobo is leaving no stone unturned to convince his family. Rusty Mansell gave out possible reasons why the 6’3, 225-pounder could pick Kirby Smart’s program, saying, “Georgia has the appeal of; that room is really thin, and it’s not far from Nashville, you know.” But it’s going to be a Bobo factor.

Here’s the best part for Dawgs fans. “I did talk to some of his family recently, and they’re like, ‘look schools were negative recruiting, saying that Mike Bobo’s not going to be there and Mike Bobo’s there’ you know,” Mansell said. Makes sense. 

Mike Bobo was responsible for leading the Bulldogs in finishing fourth in yards per play and fifth in scoring this past season. He’s also known for developing elite QBs, including Matthew Stafford and David Greene. “That type of thing and they went out and got all these offensive pieces and got all these wide receivers and those types of things to add to that so yeah, I think in the end, he goes to Georgia.” It’s early to say now, but Georgia is already running ahead in their 2026 recruiting cycle.

The Bulldogs have the early commitments of five players, including 4-star players—WR Vance Spafford, S Zech Fort, and CB Jontavius Wyman—all of whom are top 20 players in their position. And Bobo isn’t about to lose this 5-star target. 

Mike Bobo will be key in Jared Curtis’ decision 

Back in January, both Kirby Smart and Mike Bobo made multiple trips to visit Jared Curtis. And let’s hear Steve Wiltfong’s comment: “Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo spent nine hours with Curtis and his family on a recent in-home.” Very long hours! But the more the effort, the higher the success rate. And with Carson Beck leaving for Miami and Gunner Stockton set to start for the Bulldogs this season, Georgia needs to reload their QB class. 

The Bulldogs already have the commitment of 4-star Ryan Montgomery in 2025. If Curtis brings his commitment back to Athens, their future looks promising. But Kirby Smart is going to face a tough battle with his five competitors who are all powerhouses—Alabama, Oregon, South Carolina, Auburn, and Ohio State. Along with SC and Oregon, Georgia is set to officially host their coveted target on June 13. 

Can Georgia reclaim what was once theirs? Will Mike Bobo’s long hours and effort in winning Jared Curtis’ interest pay off? Or will another powerhouse swoop in and steal the nation’s top QB?