Kirby Smart, Georgia reportedly at risk of having 5-star QB snagged by Diego Pavia’s Vanderbilt

With the Georgia Bulldogs enjoying a bye week in the 2025 NCAA season, Kirby Smart and his staff can’t stay distracted for too long. As Diego Pavia and the Vanderbilt Commodores host the Missouri Tigers in a pivotal ranked SEC matchup, a five-star QB will be in attendance.

Although Gunner Stockton has played lights out for Smart and the Dawgs, Georgia can’t overlook its recruitment for the future. On that note, the school in Athens is excited about five-star plus quarterback Jared Curtis, who is hard-committed to the University of Georgia.

However, his commitment might be put to the test during the weekend, as reports indicate Curtis will be at FirstBank Stadium, when Pavia and Vanderbilt take on Mizzou. After all, the magical season put on by the Commodores isn’t in vain. Perhaps, it will pay dividends in the long run for the school in Nashville.

“Vanderbilt shooting its shot with local 5-star QB and Georgia commit Jared Curtis, hosting him for practice,” On3’s Steve Wiltfong reported. He added Curtis will be in attendance during Saturday’s showdown against the Tigers.

Hometown hero

While all signs indicate Curtis isn’t wavering his commitment to Smart and the Dawgs, fans in Athens should know better than take anything for granted. When it comes to Curtis and Vanderbilt, there’s another layer to the story that is impossible to overlook.

A five-star-plus quarterback born and raised in Nashville, Curtis might be reconsidering after watching Pavia and the electric Commodores team assembled by head coach Clark Lea. Of course, UGA and Smart have plenty of pull of their own, but the chance to be a hometown hero doesn’t come often in college football. For Curtis, it might be too good to turn down. Meanwhile, the Dawgs will hope it’s just another case of “too good to be true” and that Curtis remains committed to Georgia, where he is set to arrive as a freshman in 2026.

Something to keep an eye on

Curtis is one of the best recruits in the 2026 class. As a result, the 6’3” quarterback has received offers from virtually every powerhouse in college football. Curtis has 40 offers in his portfolio, yet he has hard committed to Georgia, essentially shutting the door on his recruiting process. Still, with reports indicating he is set to visit Vanderbilt, perhaps the door isn’t locked as many believed.

With Georgia pleasantly surprised by Stockton, Smart most likely won’t look elsewhere for a starter in the 2026 NCAA season. Stockton has another year of eligibility remaining, so it’s unlikely Curtis would be a day-one starter in Athens. If he were to stay in Music City and enroll at Vanderbilt, though, the story could be very different.

Decisions

With Diego Pavia set to enter the 2026 NFL Draft, the QB1 role will be up for grabs in Lea’s offense. Whether Curtis wants to jump into a starting job right away or prefers to learn behind the scenes for a while remains to be seen.

It all goes to show just how different the journey could be for Curtis if he comes to a crossroads between becoming a Dawg or a Commodore. He is most likely headed to Athens, Georgia, but somehow, someway, Curtis could make his way to the Athens of the South.