logo
No. 1 QB Jared Curtis' Massive Commitment Shakes Up Recruiting Rankings

No. 1 QB Jared Curtis' Massive Commitment Shakes Up Recruiting Rankings

Yahoo09-05-2025
Five-star and the nation's No. 1 quarterback Jared Curtis made his highly-anticipated commitment on Monday, resulting in a shake up in the class of 2026 recruiting rankings
It came down to Georgia and Oregon for Curtis, who took home Mr. Football and MaxPreps Tennessee Player of the Year honors after leading Nashville Christian School to a Division II-A state championship as a junior in 2024.
Advertisement
The 6-foot-4, 225-pound dual-threat passer completed 70.2% of his passes for 2,830 yards with 40 touchdowns to three interceptions. He also racked up 637 rushing yards yards (7.2 yards per carry) with 18 scores on the ground in 13 games.
Curtis ultimately chose head coach Kirby Smart's Bulldogs, which previously held a pledge from Curtis before he backed off that commitment in October.
Georgia head coach Kirby Smart and Oregon head coach Dan LanningJoshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK
That leaves ex-UGA assistant and current Oregon head coach Dan Lanning with some ground to make up after losing Curtis. The Ducks previously lost four-star quarterback Jonas Williams, who flipped to USC.
Georgia's major win on the recruiting trail propelled the program to No. 7 in On3's rankings in the 2026 cycle. On the other hand, it was Oregon who dropped one spot behind the Bulldogs.
Advertisement
Updated top-10 recruiting rankings via On3:
USC Trojans
LSU Tigers
Ohio State Buckeyes
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Texas A&M Aggies
Alabama Crimson Tide
Georgia Bulldogs
Oregon Ducks
Clemson Tigers
Penn State Nittany Lions
Smart and Co. hauled in their ninth consecutive top-five class (No. 2) last cycle while Lanning's Ducks finished at fourth nationally.
Georgia and Oregon are the only programs in the 2026 top 10 to have fewer than 10 commitments to date, leaving plenty of room for additions as the cycle heats up.
The Bulldogs and Ducks are also in the hunt for five-star offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell, who will decide among Georgia, Oregon, Ohio State and Miami on May 13.
Related: Projected $1.5 Million Star Reveals College Football Program Recruiting Him 'Hardest'
Related: Nation's No. 2 QB Drops Intriguing Recruiting Hint After Four Major Offers
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Dan Lanning looking ahead as Oregon Ducks turn the page to 2025
Dan Lanning looking ahead as Oregon Ducks turn the page to 2025

USA Today

time43 minutes ago

  • USA Today

Dan Lanning looking ahead as Oregon Ducks turn the page to 2025

The first year of Oregon Ducks football in the Big Ten was a fun one to say the least. They went undefeated, including a thrilling 32-31 win over Ohio State in one of the greatest games inside Autzen Stadium. It probably went better than expected. But as the Ducks enter Year 2 of their Big Ten membership, what happened last season means nothing, according to Oregon head coach Dan Lanning. "We have a brand new team and brand new challenges," he said at the Big Ten Day Media Day in Las Vegas on Wednesday. "What happened last year has nothing to do with the future." Oregon lost a lot of players off that 12-1 squad from a year ago, but like many good programs, the Ducks are not rebuilding. They are reloading. It will be an adjustment, however, particularly at the quarterback position, where for the first time since Lanning got here, the Ducks won't be going with an experienced transfer. Rather, it will be Dante Moore, who was a highly-touted recruit, but in his true freshman season at UCLA, was thrown to the wolves before he was ready. The talent was always there, and Oregon hopes that talent shines through after sitting a year on the sidelines and watching Dillon Gabriel do his thing for an entire season. Unfortunately, Moore will be throwing to a young receiver group that doesn't have many catches among them, but the pure talent is off the charts. They'll have to grow up a little quicker now with Evan Stewart down with a knee injury that could keep him out the entire season. The Ducks were successful in signing some sought-after players in the transfer portal, such as offensive lineman Isaiah World and safety Dillon Thieneman. Those additions and an easier schedule that doesn't include Ohio State or Michigan, Oregon is hopeful it will retain its conference championship. Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.

Undefeated in Big Ten, Oregon somehow chasing redemption after playoff loss
Undefeated in Big Ten, Oregon somehow chasing redemption after playoff loss

Miami Herald

timean hour ago

  • Miami Herald

Undefeated in Big Ten, Oregon somehow chasing redemption after playoff loss

Oregon was perfect all the way through its first season in the Big Ten, mowing through the regular season at 12-0 and handling Penn State in the conference championship game. Then the Ducks were dropped by eventual national champion Ohio State, 41-21, in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl to end the season as a national afterthought to the likes of Notre Dame, Texas and the Buckeyes, a team Oregon beat in the regular season. With a pair of trophies on display on either side of his dais at Mandalay Bay for Big Ten Media Days on Wednesday, Oregon's coach shared his uncomfortable truth. 'I think every coach probably feels this way, but we always remember the losses over the wins,' Oregon coach Dan Lanning said at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas on Wednesday during Big Ten Media Days. 'I think there's a lot you can learn from that. It doesn't take away from what we were able to accomplish, but we lost to a great team. Coach (Ryan) Day did an unbelievable job last year of having his team in position to have success there. There's some things I think I could have done better at the end. I don't think we played our best football. That being said, we did go undefeated in the conference and won the Big Ten Championship in our first year. That said, double down. Focus on our process. What do we have to continue to improve? There's always learning lessons, but it doesn't necessarily impact the future.' The future in Eugene is bright. But success is going to be relative at Oregon, a reality Lanning has embraced and knew well from his background at Georgia, where he knows the one trophy every team wants -- the national title -- is the goal on constant repeat. Marinating, and believing there is victory in the process, and avoiding the 'microwave' are themes in his locker room in 2025. Dante Moore is competing at quarterback to replace Browns third-round pick Dillon Gabriel as the maestro of a system full of skill-position weaponry. Moore said Lanning consistently reminds him and other team leaders 'pressure is a privilege.' He's locked in a duel with fellow sophomore Austin Novosad to start for the Ducks. 'I think probably what impressed me most with Dante is not wanting to be in a microwave society, not wanting to just get it fast because there's an opportunity in front of him,' Lanning said, 'but to have the slow-cooked meal, to have the opportunity to sit back and mature and learn, learn from experiences that you don't necessarily have to be on the field to feel. The same goes for Austin. The same goes for Luke (Moga) and the other guys in our program.' Either quarterback would be thrilled to have the security of a sure-handed and big-play tight end the likes of Kenyon Sadiq. The junior might not be a household name nationally, but no matter which iteration of Oregon uniform he's wearing on game day, opponents are fully aware of his whereabouts. Lanning said he played some video-game football with his son before Wednesday's session, and Sadiq was a stud in the virtual world, too. 'I need to make sure I bring that up to our quarterbacks, throw it to Kenyon because he's been unbelievable this offseason,' Lanning said. 'Like I said, if you just see him work, it's not a secret.' Field Level Media 2025 - All Rights Reserved

Georgia schedules another cupcake 2026 nonconference opponent
Georgia schedules another cupcake 2026 nonconference opponent

USA Today

timean hour ago

  • USA Today

Georgia schedules another cupcake 2026 nonconference opponent

The Georgia Bulldogs are scheduled to play the Tennessee State Tigers in 2026, per Mike Organ of the Tennesseean. In 2026, Georgia is already scheduled to play the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (home) on Sept. 12, the Louisville Cardinals (away) on Sept. 19 and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on Nov. 28 (home). Georgia will also play their permanent SEC opponent, the Florida Gators. Based on Georgia's decision to schedule Tennessee State, we expect the SEC to play just eight conference games in 2026. The SEC has long discussed adding a ninth conference game like the Big Ten. However, it does not appear that will be the case in 2026. The SEC has not released the conference schedule for the 2026 season. Based on Georgia's other nonconference games, we would expect for the Bulldogs to host Tennessee State on Sept. 5 in Week 1. Georgia is paying to play Tennessee State in a one game series, but we don't know how much at this time. Georgia will be the first of three SEC opponents that Tennessee State will play from 2026-2029. The Tigers and head coach Reggie Barlow are also set to play Tennessee in 2027 and Vanderbilt in 2029. "You're talking about SEC games, you're talking about great tradition programs like Georgia, like Tennessee and, of course, like Vanderbilt who's coming along and doing some wonderful things," Barlow said after scheduling three future games against SEC opponents. "Just being able to go and play in those stadiums and get that experience for our young men here and our coaches is going to be exciting. Obviously, we know that it's a huge task and a huge challenge, but I just look forward to being in that atmosphere and that environment." While Tennessee State is not the most exciting opponent for Georgia, pay to play games are important for smaller programs. Tennessee State's last game against an FBS opponent came in 2023 when the Tigers lost to Notre Dame 56-3. Follow UGAWire on Instagram or Threads!

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store