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This fall will feature the debut of several highly-touted college football freshman, including one quarterback who was in high demand during the recruiting cycle. The new NIL era means that freshman players are entering the college football landscape with even more pressure.
ESPN's Eli Lederman ranked the college football freshman facing the most pressure in 2026. Coming in at No. 2 on the list is a quarterback originally committed to Georgia who is now expected to replace Diego Pavia at Vanderbilt.
Jared Curtis could be a star in his hometown of Nashville, but it is a lot of pressure for a quarterback who has yet to take a college football snap. Miami offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell tops ESPN's list of players with the most pressure just ahead of Curtis.
One notable date, Vanderbilt travels to Athens to face Georgia on Oct. 3, the place Curtis spent more than one year committed to before flipping to Vandy at the last minute.
“Told Coach Smart, ‘I appreciate it, but…’ couldn’t even finish the joke.”
Jared Curtis had Kirby on edge for a second—but the bond he built with this Georgia staff made the decision easy.
UGA just landed a dude who knows where he wants to be—and who he wants to build with.… pic.twitter.com/lzlBKzU5YZ
"The chance to replace Diego Pavia and compete for a starting job immediately ultimately drove Curtis' decision to flip his commitment from Georgia to Vanderbilt late last fall," Lederman wrote on Wednesday. "And, with little other proven talent in the program's quarterback room, ESPN's No. 1 pocket passer appears likely to be under center when the Commodores host Austin Peay in Week 1.
"Curtis will have the benefit of some continuity with veteran running back Sedrick Alexander and pass catchers Junior Sherrill and Tre Richardson returning in 2026. However, between filling Pavia's shoes, the learning curve behind playing as a freshman in the SEC and question marks across an overhauled offensive line unit, Curtis will have plenty on his shoulders as he takes over the SEC's No. 2 scoring offense from a year ago."
Vanderbilt is quietly building a strong NIL base as the program was able fight off notable teams to retain Pavia for 2025. Additionally, Vandy was able to make an enticing offer to keep Curtis in Nashville on the verge of a potential move to Athens.
Jared Curtis is already at Vanderbilt and practicing with the team. Diego Pavia welcomed him to the program. ⚓⬇️ pic.twitter.com/6qjPxbnWPZ
NIL deals are typically not made public, but On3 projects Curtis' value is $1.7 million. Curtis' decision to pivot from Georgia to Vanderbilt appeared to be as much about being able to play right away as it was a financial move.
Georgia has star quarterback Gunner Stockton returning, which likely would have meant Curtis would have had to wait at least one season before playing.
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Jonathan Adams is a veteran sports writer who has written for notable outlets and interviewed some of the top athletes for more than 10 years. Since 2015, his sports coverage has been read by tens of millions and has been prominently featured on Heavy, NFL.com, Yahoo Sports, Pro Football Talk, CBS Sports, Bleacher Report and more. Jonathan is a member of the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and a voter for the Maxwell Award and Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year. He has interviewed many of the biggest stars in sports — Bryce Harper, Jayden Daniels, Justin Jefferson, Bijan Robinson and Micah Parsons to name a few — and has traveled the country to cover the College Football Playoff, NFL draft, Masters, March Madness, Senior Bowl, McDonald’s All-American Game and beyond. Jonathan Adams studied at the University of Central Florida and The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology. He holds master degrees in sport business management, business administration and theology & culture.
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