"It's kind of a natural thing": 2026 5-star QB Jared Curtis on stepping up to a leadership role for his team

Jared Curtis’ growth into one of the top high school football talents in the country is undeniable. Curtis is the No. 1 quarterback in the class of 2026, according to the On3 and ESPN rankings, while he's top-3 on 247Sports and Rivals.

In a chat with On3’s Josh Newberg, he reflected on his growth, leadership and relationship with teammates. He regarded his assumption of team leadership as natural (1:27):

“It's kind of a natural thing, you know. I just like to better the people around me. You know they better me. I wanna give it back and better them.”

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Jared Curtis’ college prospects

Jared Curtis, six-foot-four and weighing 225 pounds, has caught the eye of coaches and scouts from his freshman season. Thanks to his passing ability, he's said to have “an elastic arm.”

From Nashville Christian School in Nashville, Tennessee, Curtis has received an upward of 35 college offers, according to 247Sports. He's thus one of the most highly sought-after talents not only in his class but generally in high school football.

Curtis has received offers from Alabama, Colorado, Auburn, Florida State, Georgia and Indiana, among others. The quarterback prospect, while yet to make any visit, made an early verbal commitment to Kirby Smart's Georgia Bulldogs. However, he has withdrawn the commitment, choosing to explore his available options. Nevertheless, Georgia is still leading the race to sign him.

He's expected to be in Athens for the Bulldogs game against Tennessee in November. Curtis also has a visit to Auburn scheduled for Nov. 2. But these are not the only schools actively courting the teenager. Oregon, along with Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, South Carolina and USC are other schools in the contest.

On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine tips Ohio State a 59.1% favorite in the race to land Jared Curtis, with Georgia following at 37.1%. However, it's probably too early to say with any degree of certainty where Curtis attends college.

What's certain, though, is the quality he will bring to whichever program he ends up at. He completed 123 passes as a freshman in 2022 for 2,285 yards and 27 touchdowns.

In 2023, he completed 180 passes for 2,522 yards and 25 touchdowns. In eight games this season, Curtis has completed 68% of his pass attempts for 1,857 yards and 22 touchdowns.