Georgia’s Gunner Stockton and Lawson Luckie connect on NIL deal
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
ATHENS — Gunner Stockton and Lawson Luckie have connected on a new NIL deal this season.
The Georgia quarterback and tight end — who most recently connected in a game when Stockton hit Luckie for a 14-yard gain on the go-ahead touchdown drive in the third quarter of the SEC championship game in December — will be working with Associated Credit Union (ACU), a member-owned financial institution in Georgia.
Stockton and Luckie were chosen as representatives, per ACU spokesman Rob Kremer, because of the “strong connection to the communities they come from.
“Partnering with Gunner and Lawson allows ACU to engage with younger audiences in a way that feels genuine, aspirational and rooted in shared values,” Kremer said.
Stockton and Luckie will be compensated, but there’s value for the communities they will serve as part of their NIL deal, too.
ACU is exploring ideas for the rising Georgia stars to take part in football clinics with local schools, mentorship events and youth engagement activities.
Malaki Starks, a former Georgia All-American, represented ACU with an NIL deal last year.
Starks hosted football camps for underserved youth in Atlanta as part of his NIL deal with the business.
Georgia coach Kirby Smart recently spoke about how some of his current players also are giving back through the benefits of their NIL deals.
Former Georgia star Brock Bowers set the tone three years ago when he chose to forgo any university-generated dollars through Classic City Collective to help contribute to the broader success of the program.
Bowers had the sort of NIL deals in place — Zaxby’s, MET-RX and Morgan & Morgan — that would not count against the designated $20.5 million “cap” recently instituted as part of the House v. NCAA settlement.
More recently, Smart shared how defensive lineman Jordan Hall bought PlayStations for local kids in the community, while linebacker Chris Cole held a youth football camp.
“Our guys are incredible,” Smart said. “Most of our guys have a charitable organization they choose to give to if they have that capacity or maybe one that affected them.”
Financial terms and details of the NIL deal Stockton and Luckie secured have not been made available.
Per the On3 “valuation” chart, Georgia QB commitment Jared Curtis has the highest valuation among players associated with UGA at $1.8 million, while Zachariah Branch has the highest valuation among current Bulldogs, at over $1 million.
About the Author
Mike is in his eighth season covering SEC and Georgia athletics for AJC-DawgNation and has 30 years of collegiate sports multimedia experience, 25 of them in the SEC including beat writer stops at Auburn, Alabama, Tennessee and now Georgia. Mike was named the National FWAA Beat Writer of the Year in January, 2018.
