No. 1 QB prospect expected to make $2 million in first college football season

Jared Curtis arrived on the recruiting radar as a consensus five-star quarterback and the No. 1 quarterback prospect in the 2026 class, per ESPN, after building a reputation for big-game production at Nashville Christian School in Nashville, Tennessee.

Despite being one of the most sought-after recruits in the country, public perception through 2025 placed Curtis in the high seven-figure NIL range — impressive, but still a tier below the valuations typically reserved for proven college stars.

That baseline shifted on Wednesday. According to On3’s Pete Nakos, industry conversations now suggest Curtis, a true freshman signed to Vanderbilt, could command roughly $2 million in NIL compensation during his first college football season.

For context, the current top NIL earners include Texas quarterback Arch Manning ($5.4 million), Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith ($4.2 million), and LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt ($4.0 million), all of whom have multiple years of experience under their belt.

A $2 million valuation would place Curtis firmly inside the top 25 NIL valuations nationally, an exceptionally rare distinction for a player who has yet to take a snap at the college level.

NEW: Miami OT Jackson Cantwell, Vanderbilt QB Jared Curtis and USC TE Mark Bowman are regarded as the highest-paid signees in the 2026 class, sources tell @PeteNakos🤑

The five-star recruits are set to make north of $1.5M in Year 1. https://t.co/gFMLoU7IXi https://t.co/vMz6LgENul pic.twitter.com/vyUFxbwHsQ
— On3 (@On3) February 4, 2026

Curtis, a 6-foot-4, 225-pound dual-threat quarterback, formally signed with Vanderbilt following a decorated prep career at Nashville Christian School.

Across 47 high school games, he amassed more than 9,500 passing yards, over 120 passing touchdowns, and eclipsed 2,100 rushing yards, cementing his status as one of the most productive quarterbacks in Tennessee high school history.

In 2025, Curtis was named Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year after throwing for 2,073 yards and 36 touchdowns while completing 65.9% of his passes. He also rushed for 614 yards and 11 scores, leading Nashville Christian to a second straight state championship.

Curtis originally committed to Georgia in May 2024 before flipping to Vanderbilt, a move that made him the highest-rated recruit in the Commodores program history.

The Commodores enter 2026 with rare momentum after a breakout 2025 season that saw the program finish 10–3 overall and 6–2 in SEC play, marking the first double-digit win season in school history.

More importantly, the addition of Curtis comes with a clear quarterback runway following the departure of Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt’s 2025 breakout starter, who has moved toward the NFL evaluation process.

Pavia’s 2025 production — 3,539 passing yards, 29 passing touchdowns, and 862 rushing yards — made him a Heisman Trophy finalist, creating both a high-profile vacancy and an immediate opportunity for Curtis to earn early snaps and position himself as the centerpiece of a rising program.

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