Jared Curtis

Physical Profile

Curtis has a prototypical NFL quarterback frame at 6-foot-3.5 and 225-230 pounds. This size provides excellent durability and a clear line of sight from the pocket. He is a fluid, functional athlete who is tough to bring down, using his sturdy build to break tackles on designed runs and scrambles. While not a top-end speed threat, his mobility is a significant asset for extending plays.

Play Style

Curtis is an aggressive, creative playmaker who operates with swagger. On film, he shows the ability to function within the offensive structure but is at his most dangerous when improvising, using his pocket awareness and mobility to extend plays and deliver powerful, accurate throws on the run. He led Nashville Christian to back-to-back state championships with a blend of high-level passing — completing 70% of his passes with a 40-to-3 TD-to-INT ratio as a junior — and tough, productive running. He has been compared to Jay Cutler and Matthew Stafford for his elite arm talent and playmaking style.

Strengths

• Elite arm talent: The ball explodes out of his hand, allowing him to generate considerable velocity on throws to all levels of the field with a natural, loose motion.
• Off-platform playmaking: Excels at making creative, second-reaction plays when the initial structure breaks down. He is a pure rotational thrower who can deliver accurate passes from various arm angles without needing his feet to be perfectly set.
• Dual-threat capability: A dangerous and powerful runner who is effective on designed carries and scrambles, particularly in the red zone. He rushed for 637 yards and 18 touchdowns as a junior and followed it up with 614 yards and 11 scores as a senior, demonstrating physicality at the goal line.
• Gunslinger Mentality: Plays with confidence and is not afraid to challenge tight windows, showing the ability to drive the football into coverage over the middle of the field to make high-difficulty throws.

Areas to Improve

• Mental processing speed: Vanderbilt's coaching staff has identified that his mental processing, from pre-snap reads to post-snap decision-making within the system, is the primary area for development as he adjusts to the college level.
• Internal Clock: Can sometimes extend plays looking for the big play when a quicker decision is needed; will need to speed up his internal clock against faster SEC defenses.

College Projection

As an early enrollee and the most talented recruit in program history, Curtis is expected to compete for the starting quarterback job immediately as a true freshman. The opportunity for early playing time was a significant factor in his decision to flip his commitment from Georgia to Vanderbilt. While he possesses all the necessary physical tools, his timeline to becoming an impact starter will depend on how quickly he can master the playbook and adapt to the speed of SEC defenses.

NFL Outlook

With a prototypical build, elite arm talent, and natural playmaking ability, Curtis is projected as a future first-round NFL Draft pick. His skill set is an ideal fit for the modern NFL, which values quarterbacks who can create both inside and outside of structure. Barring significant setbacks, he has the potential to be one of the top quarterbacks selected in his draft class.

Best Fit

A spread or pro-style offensive scheme that provides the quarterback with freedom to make checks at the line and utilize their athletic ability to create off-script. His arm talent allows him to make every throw required in a vertical passing game, while his mobility would be maximized in a system that incorporates designed QB runs and rollouts.