The current college football era we are all living in is dominated by NIL, without a doubt. The way money has been shaping the future of youth athletes is exciting and menacing at the same time. The constant lure of money, big money, and bigger money takes a toll on the player’s stability and a significant developmental time in a program. On the other side, it enables them to develop the habit of managing finance at a very tender age and have some sound knowledge of the process. A few athletes are actually making rounds as the big fishes of the pond as far as the NIL is concerned. Five-star quarterback Jared Curtis, who stands as the No. 4 overall recruit in the 2026 class, has been one of the primes on the list.

However, the acquired NIL valuation has not been round the clock. One wrong move and you are heavily under the radar.

Jared Curtis’ NIL trajectory raises serious concern amidst the recruiting hype

The Nashville, Tennessee native has been at the forefront of the appealing 2026 targets nationwide. Standing tall at 6 feet 4 inches and weighing 225 pounds, he’s an unstoppable horse on the field. Curtis initially made a verbal commitment to the University of Georgia in March 2024 but decided to back on the search in October 2024 and immediately jacked up a load of offers on his table. Thanks to his overwhelming high school stats with marquee productivity in both his freshman and sophomore seasons. With top programs like Alabama, Ohio State, and Clemson waiting with a bated heart for their chance, Curtis’ next move is highly unpredictable. It’s an intriguing trail to watch unfold. Another thing to watch is his NIL amount, which hit a significant low from 3.5m to 2.7m. 

But what is the tea here? Well, achieving a remarkable NIL, a testament to a strong off-field presence, requires the same amount of skill and patience as the on-field prowess. It demands the acute smartness and negotiation power to determine your worth, of course, backed by the value you bring, the confidence to showcase your gifts, and the ability and courage to deal with significant risks.

Adding to that, the choice of the program also plays a role in the market value to some extent. Kurtis, the standout pocket passer, has made a massive move in his recruitment streak. He rejected an offer to come to Chapel Hill and join forces with the new Tar Heels’ head coach Bill Belichick.

Well, it’s debatable whether he could be a perfect fit as the missing fit of the puzzle in Belichick’s offensive realignment, but his recent photo with the legendary NFL coach after a highly touted visit sparked hope among fans. Now, having the Tar Heels on the dance might or might not help him maintain the 3 million on the NIL mark, but his free bird status is certainly throwing some dilemma into the mix.

Kurtis has a second visit lined up to Auburn, and he is possibly leaving some strong cues there.

Jared Curtis seems to be impressed with the Tigers’ hospitality on the recent visit

Kurtis’ recruitment saga has nothing short of an episode from the daily soap opera. He is making so much talk around the nation that SEC A-listers like Oregon and Georgia went to the extreme of lending poaching offers to the union signal caller. The drama keeps getting hot with Curtis impressed with the Tigers.

It will be his second visit to Auburn. Curtis paid an unofficial visit to Auburn in November and had enjoyed the Tigers’ match-up against Vanderbilt. “I liked it a lot,” he said in an immediate response after the visit. “It was my first time and they showed what they have to offer. I like it a lot, and I feel like they are going to be better in the next couple of years.”

Curtis has spent some time with head coach Hugh Freeze and quarterbacks coaches Kent Austin and Jesse Stone and it seems everything went as it should. “I like them,” he said. “I think they are great people. They have great personalities. I liked being around them and building relationships.” Curtis said Auburn’s loss to the Commodores couldn’t impact his lofty idea about the school. A win or loss holds little value in respect of all the other technical benefits and the intangibles that he found during his one-day visit.

“I feel like talking to Coach Freeze, he’s telling me they are going to be really good in the next couple of years,” Curtis said. “They have a really heavy freshman class in right now and they have a top-10 2025 class. Seeing what they do over the next couple of years will be exciting.”

Curtis didn’t close out on the Georgia Bulldogs nonetheless, adding extra salt to the drama. However, going forward, a NIL position blow might impact his image to the schools and vice versa.