Kirby Smart has built Georgia into a dominant force in college football by consistently recruiting and developing elite talent across the board. While his track record with quarterbacks has featured transfers, depth chart battles, and evolving strategies, one fact remains evident—when Georgia locks in on a quarterback, they typically get their guy in a given recruiting cycle. That’s why the Bulldogs are in an excellent position to land class of 2026 5-star quarterback Jared Curtis.
Georgia’s success in recruiting quarterbacks under Smart speaks for itself. Dating back to the class of 2017, the Bulldogs have consistently targeted top-tier passers and successfully brought them into the program.
The Track Record: Getting Their Guy
- Jake Fromm (2017): Georgia flipped Fromm from Alabama, pulling off a significant recruiting victory against Nick Saban. Fromm went on to lead the Bulldogs to an SEC Championship and a national championship game appearance as a true freshman.
- Justin Fields (2018): Despite Fromm’s success, Georgia secured a commitment from Fields, the No. 2 overall player in the class. While Fields eventually transferred, his signing further demonstrated Smart’s ability to land elite quarterbacks.
- Stetson Bennett IV (2019): The Bulldogs brought Bennett back from junior college at the last minute to add depth. While overlooked at the time, this decision ultimately led to Bennett delivering back-to-back national championships.
- Carson Beck (2020): Georgia secured Beck, a highly regarded 4-star quarterback, despite significant competition. Beck patiently developed in the system and became a standout starter in 2023.
- Brock Vandagriff (2021): A 5-star in-state talent, Vandagriff committed to Georgia after decommitting from Oklahoma and being pursued by other top programs. Although he eventually transferred, his recruitment was another example of Georgia identifying and landing top talent.
- Gunner Stockton (2022): Another elite in-state prospect, Stockton was heavily pursued by other top schools but ended up committing to Georgia after a record-breaking high school career. He is now the front-runner to start in 2025.
- Ryan Puglisi (2024): While Georgia briefly had Dylan Raiola committed in this cycle, Puglisi was actually the quarterback that former OC Todd Monken was most drawn to. Even after Raiola committed, Puglisi’s allegiance to the red and black never wavered.
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Yes, not every quarterback Georgia has recruited under Smart has stayed or panned out exactly as expected, but it doesn’t take away from the success he’s had at bringing elite passers to Athens from the high school ranks.
Why Jared Curtis Could Be Next
Jared Curtis is an elite 2026 quarterback prospect who was already committed to Georgia earlier in his recruitment. He is unquestionably the Dawgs’ top priority, and offensive coordinator Mike Bobo has built a tremendous relationship with Curtis. The combination of Smart’s recruiting prowess, Georgia’s recent quarterback development success, and the overall appeal of playing in Athens for a program that gets the most eyeballs on it of any in the country gives Georgia a great chance to win Curtis over.
There is no proven guy on the depth chart in front of Curtis either. He would get the chance to compete right away. Lastly, NIL in the revenue-sharing era for Georgia, along with creativity from the Georgia state legislature, is going to make UGA much more attractive on that front as well.
Georgia hosts Curtis on June 13th of this year for his official visit. That will be huge. Curtis is also set to go on official visits to Auburn, Oregon, and South Carolina. At this point, it feels like Georgia is holding its own with NIL and ancillary opportunities. The relationship front of Curtis with Smart, Bobo, and offensive analyst Gummy VanGorder seem to be the driving factors that have Georgia in a great spot right now with the No. 4 overall ranked player in the country. All of that and the QB recruiting track record in the Smart era should have Dawg fans excited about the gunslinger from Music City.
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Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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