Kirby Smart Faces Jared Curtis Question as Recruiting Statement Puts Lincoln Riley on Notice

The 2025 season has been all about flips. Nico Iamaleava jumping out of the Tennessee wagon, Carson Beck leaving the Georgia Bulldogs. But when it comes to the 2026 class, something unnatural happened. The protagonist of this surprise script was none other than quarterback Jared Curtis. As per the reports, the 5-star had given his word to Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs in March 2024.

However, in October, he released a statement stating, “When I first committed to Georgia, I wasn’t fully aware of what was to come, including the other options I’ve been truly blessed to have but could not consider.” But Smart did not give up on the race to win back his trust. And the efforts paid off well. The quarterback recommitted to Smart’s squad on May 5, 2025. With this on-and-off journey, it’s obvious that doubts loom in Georgia fans’ hearts about the quarterback.

On the June 30th episode of the Jox 94.5 podcast, analyst Craig Haubert, ESPN’s national recruiting coordinator, shared his take on Smart’s old yet new commitment. “I think Curtis can be there. I think the big thing for Jared Curtis as he makes that transition to the SEC is playing in Tennessee. He’s been very successful, he’s got a wow type release, but he’s also plays in a really small classification. So you know, I don’t think necessarily Curtis is a guy who comes into colleges and a plug-and-play guy unless you can really kind of make that jump.” Do the numbers do justice to these claims?

As a junior last fall, Smart’s quarterback threw for another 2,830 yards with 40 touchdowns to only three interceptions while leading Nashville Christian to the Tennessee Division II-A state championship. Curtis has been a polished pocket passer with 7,637 passing yards and 130 total touchdowns in three varsity seasons at Nashville (Tennessee) Christian School. He got all the physical tools a coach needs in a quarterback. However, the problem lies somewhere else.

Taking Greg McElroy’s reference, Haubert shared, “Greg [McElroy], you came out of high school and you played at one of the premier programs at Texas and you probably on a weekly basis even though you didn’t really get a chance in your senior year, you got an opportunity to kind of play against college level talent on a weekly basis. I think that makes a difference as opposed to maybe on a week-in, week-out basis. You’re not necessarily playing against guys you know 95% of them are going to not be FBS-type players. So I think that’s something to watch with Curtis.” 

For the unknown, Greg McElroy’s background at Southlake Carroll High School puts him among a long list of players who sharpened their skills against elite competition. Stafford’s Highland Park was a powerhouse in the Dallas area. McElroy’s Carroll often had to bring their best game planning to match Stafford’s elite talent. On the other hand, Curtis hasn’t been tested against elite opponents as regularly, which could be a concern when projecting his success at the college level. While this must be worrisome for Smart, he is now moving towards a bigger mission. And what’s that? Snatch away Lincoln Riley‘s crown.  

Kirby Smart’s squad is closing the gap to knock USC off the throne

As per On3’s 2026 Industry Ranking football team recruiting rankings, the top position is held by Lincoln Riley’s USC Trojans. They have a total of 30 recruits, one 5-star, nineteen 4-stars, and ten 3-stars. Right next to them, stands Smart’s Georgia at No.2. They right now have locked in one 5-star, nineteen 4-stars, and five 3-stars. So, in total, they are just four recruits short of catching up with the Trojans. Will they be able to bring down Riley from the pedestal?

Well, at least Smart and co.’s momentum on the recruiting trail hints at high possibilities. Early in June, they hunted down not one but four recruits. On June 13, they landed the No. 1 kicker prospect, Harran Zureikat. Before this commitment, in a span of 48 hours, Smart’s Bulldogs landed three of their top commits, wide receiver Brady Marchese, cornerback Justice Fitzpatrick, and safety Jordan Smith. Well, it was no surprise. After all, the head coach himself had set out a clear warning.  

“We lost a lot of offensive and defensive linemen, like eight or nine, really good offensive, defensive linemen. When you lose those, you either replace them with guys that are vets or you replace them with youth and fire, passion, and energy. And that’s what we’re counting on,” said Kirby. There has been a special trend when it comes to Kirby Smart’s 2026 recruiting pitch. He has focused on in-state recruiting more. On June 26, Georgia landed their 14th in-state commitment, 4-star wide receiver Craig Dandridge, after Ryan Mosley, Carter Luckie, Zykie Helton, and a couple of others. Bet Riley’s pillow just got a little less comfortable.