This is a battle of the fittest for the best! While everyone thought Jared Curtis was headed to Eugene, things took a sharp turn in Athens during his unofficial visit this weekend. “This is not one of those things from 10 years ago where you sit in a coaches offices, you mom gets a feel, you get a feel, then you commit to a school. This is new age recruiting,” Rusty Mansell pointed out. It’s not just Smart and Lanning anymore; it involves agents, representatives, and NIL bags. But as things stand, Kirby Smart is in a strong position to secure the commitment of the No. 1 QB in the 2026 class. Georgia hosted an extended stay that could prove vital in this high-stakes recruiting war against Dan Lanning’s Oregon.

If you’re Kirby Smart or Mike Bobo, you couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity. Georgia hosted Jared Curtis for four days, and it looks like the Dawgs made the most of it. DawgsHQ Rusty Mansell joined Josh Newberg in a new episode on On3 Recruits on March 17 to drop fresh intel on 5-star QB. “I do know the location for his family is something they really like about Georgia,” he said. “You’re gonna hear a lot of stuff over the next couple of weeks about where this kid might be leaning, where he might not be leaning… But I do know that Georgia feels like this visit went well for them.” Could that be an understatement?

Georgia not only got the last word after Jared Curtis’ trip to Oregon. They also checked off some important boxes—proximity to home, comfort level, and a family-like environment. But per Dawgnation’s Jeff Sentell, the big NIL revelation is a huge win for the Bulldogs. For months, the assumption was that Dan Lanning had the upper hand with their program’s Nike backing and Phil Knight’s deep pockets. While Georgia boasts a great NIL war chest, they can’t rival the Ducks’ strong backings.

But it appears that NIL isn’t going to be a determining factor. Instead, proximity could play a role. Athens being closer to his hometown in Tennessee than Oregon plays a huge part in his interest. “They treated us like family, and we enjoyed our time there.” That’s what Jared Curtis’ notion for the visit is. This speaks volumes. While NIL is important when it comes to high-profile recruitment, the comfort and relationship often tip the scales. But let’s not forget, the No. 3 overall player is coming off a similar visit to Eugene.

Oregon made a strong impression on Jared Curtis 

Before this Georgia visit, Jared Curtis was at Oregon from March 8-12. Not a typical weekend visit. It was another deep dive into what the Ducks have to offer. But it was his mom Barbara who gave fans a reason to stay optimistic. “It was a great visit,” she told On3. “We had a great time! And learned a lot about what he’s building.

“It was great to fellowship with the coaches and staff,” Barbara added. “We learned more about the school and program. Our relationship deepened and I appreciate all they did to ensure our visit went well! I walked away feeling good, if Jared chose to go there.” It’s a strong endorsement, but did they do enough to keep the lead? After all, Georgia was Jared Curtis’ first love when he committed last March before reopening his commitment in October. 

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Jared Curtis mentioned he might drop his decision after the official summer visits. But word is spreading that he could shut things down sooner than expected. For Georgia fans, this is going to be an interesting development because right now, things are trending in the right direction.