Published Mar 28, 2024
Midwest Spotlight: Quarterback storylines to follow this spring
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Greg Smith  •  Rivals.com
National Recruiting Analyst
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@GregSmithRivals
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There are more commitments each and every week as we move further into the spring and quarterbacks are at the center of it all. Big decisions are coming with plenty of critical storylines to track when it comes to the quarterback position.

Here are the biggest quarterback storylines in the Midwest Region.

THIS SERIES: Quarterback storylines to follow on the East Coast | Mid-South | Southeast

RIVALS QB RANKINGS: 2025 Pro-Style | 2025 Dual-Threat | 2026 Pro-Style | 2026 Dual-Threat

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JARED CURTIS DOMINO EFFECT

Last weekend was a newsy one for a random time in March. One of the top stories out of the weekend was that Nashville Christian School (Tenn.) 2026 four-star quarterback Jared Curtis committed to Georgia.

It’s never surprising when coach Kirby Smart’s program lands a blue-chip prospect but it gets everyone’s attention when it's a quarterback. In a lot of ways, quarterback recruiting can be a game of musical chairs. Once a signal-caller takes a spot that closes the door for someone, a different opportunity also opens elsewhere.

Every topic I’m going to talk about below can actually be traced back to the decision that Curtis made over the weekend. That’s what happens when a borderline five-star quarterback makes a commitment.

Georgia landed one of the best young quarterbacks in the country when Curtis announced his decision to go there. But the team also created quite the ripple effect in college football.

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OHIO STATE RESETS THE QUARTERBACK BOARD

Ohio State is one of the schools that Curtis was strongly considering before joining Georgia’s class. The Tennessee native almost committed to Ryan Day back in January. So it’s not a coincidence that the Buckeyes have gone on a mini-offer spree at the position lately.

Last week, 2026 Florida four-star Dia Bell was offered by Ohio State. He’s familiar with the program having camped there last summer. It took a while for that offer to come through but the 6-foot-2, 180-pounder now holds an offer from the team.

So does 2026 Illinois quarterback Jonas Williams. Williams was in Columbus last weekend and was able to meet offensive coordinator Chip Kelly in person for the first time. I have been told that Williams really coveted the offer from the Buckeyes. We’ll see if that turns his recruitment upside down.

The Buckeyes are a program that can afford to be picky at quarterback. They’ll always be able to tout elite wide receiver talent to play with and Day’s program has certainly hit the reset button at the position. It will likely get a few of the offered quarterbacks on campus for camp this summer.

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HOW IS RYAN MONTGOMERY IMPACTED?

Rivals reported earlier this week that 2025 four-star quarterback Ryan Montgomery was down to Georgia, Florida and South Carolina and had locked in official visits with those programs.

Even though Montgomery is in a different class than Curtis their recruitments are still related. Curtis is pledged to Georgia in the class after his. Does Montgomery want to enter that situation?

Does Georgia still push as hard for Montgomery knowing they have Curtis in the boat?

Logic says that Georgia will fade quickly in this recruitment. That's unless Smart and company can lay out a big-time sales pitch. The depth chart is cleanest at South Carolina for Montgomery but that’s not the only driving factor here. Coach Shane Beamer and his program have consistently been in the picture with him and Beamer has made it clear from the start that Montgomery is a top target for the program.

The door seems wide open for the Gamecocks in this recruitment. It could end before the summer officials even happen.

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WHERE DOES JONAS WILLIAMS FIT?

After some good early offers Illinois 2026 four-star quarterback Jonas Williams saw his recruitment slow down. It was hard to explain but that has since corrected itself. Besides Ohio State, he’s picked up Missouri, Minnesota, Nebraska and others this winter. Williams has been solid during 7-on-7 events which will only boost his stock more.

The dual-threat has a lot of potential but teams will want to see him throw in person this summer. It’ll be important for him to camp at the right schools and build relationships with a variety of schools to find the best fit. He’ll likely return to Columbus this summer but the Buckeyes can only take one quarterback.

It will be interesting to follow what happens with Williams’ recruitment.