Vanderbilt QB Jared Curtis signs Nike NIL deal

Vanderbilt football quarterback Jared Curtis has signed an NIL deal with Nike, one of eight college athletes to do so ahead of the 2026 season, according to a July 16 release.

According to the release, "Nike provides its NIL and pro partners with individual, personalized support, both in their performance and training and in their most important moments away from the field. From product and styling to support with media and content, Nike leverages the full weight of the brand to provide unparalleled partnership to athletes across its football roster — giving them tools for long-term success across sport, business and culture."

Six of the other eight athletes who signed with Nike in this wave are also from SEC schools, including players from Ole Miss, Texas and LSU.

Curtis was a 5-star recruit who was the No. 1 ranked player in the 2026 class at Nashville Christian. Originally committed to Georgia, he flipped to Vanderbilt just before signing day and enrolled early with the Commodores.

Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea has not yet named a starting quarterback for Vanderbilt, though Curtis is the favorite to win the job. Lea will speak at SEC Media Days in Tampa, Florida, on July 21, but no quarterbacks were on Vanderbilt's list of players who will speak at the event.

Vanderbilt opens its season Sept. 5 against Austin Peay at FirstBank Stadium.

Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on X @aria_gerson.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vanderbilt QB Jared Curtis signs Nike NIL deal