Gunner Stockton’s poor 2025 finish has led to plenty of offseason questions
Gunner Stockton probably likes that there’s little chatter about him ahead of the upcoming season.
The various preseason quarterback rankings rarely have Stockton near the top. Joel Klatt of Fox Sports left the Georgia quarterback out of his Top 10 rankings entirely. Chris Low of On3 ranked Stockton as the No. 3 quarterback in the SEC, behind Arch Manning of Texas and Trinidad Chambliss of Ole Miss. David Cobb of CBS Sports left Stockton outside the top tier of his quarterback rankings for the upcoming season.
All this despite Stockton finishing seventh in Heisman Trophy voting last season. It comes a year after he picked up wins in games against Manning and Chambliss, as the Bulldogs were 12-2 and won the SEC.
So why is Stockton not viewed as highly ahead of this rapidly approaching season? Looking at the end of last year might offer the best explanation.
Manning and Chambliss, in particular, played their best football to conclude the 2025 season. The same can’t be said for Stockton.
When comparing the final four games for each quarterback, Manning threw for 12 touchdowns to just one interception, which came in a loss to Georgia.
| Stats over final 4 games of 2026 season | Gunner Stockton | Arch Manning | Trinidad Chambliss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yards per game | 156.25 | 260 | 320 |
| Total touchdowns | 7 | 12 | 10 |
| Completion percentage | 66.7 | 58.8 | 67.8 |
| Yards per attempt | 6.31 | 7.65 | 8.77 |
Chambliss totaled 10 touchdowns and threw no interceptions. He won two College Football Playoff games before a loss to Miami.
Stockton finished in a slump. He had seven touchdowns and threw two interceptions. His 6.31 yards per attempt in that four-game span was not just a full yard less than Manning (7.65) and Chambliss (8.77), but also his season-long average of 7.5.
The ending of Georgia’s season was unsatisfactory. Stockton himself has said as much. His play to end last season played a part in that.
“It definitely left a bad taste,” Stockton said this spring. “And just try not to let that happen and do our best to make it not happen.”
Stockton is not the type of quarterback who is going to put up massive statistics. Only three times in 14 games did he throw for more than 250 yards. Viewing Stockton through a statistical lens isn’t the best way to view what he brings to the table.
“Few players in college football are more underrated than Gunner Stockton. Just don’t tell the coaches and players who’ve gone against him that he’s underrated,” Low wrote. “They will tell you his toughness, penchant for making clutch plays and leadership are all right there at the top of the players they’ve faced.”
Stockton’s biggest strength is his intangibles. Not just his ability to lead, but his ability to elevate himself in the biggest moments. He does enter the season with wins over Manning and Chambliss on his ledger, in part because of how great he was in the second half of those games.
It is also worth stressing that no quarterback is an island. Tom Brady had Rob Gronkowski; Joe Burrow was flanked by Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson.
Stockton won’t have Zachariah Branch and Colbie Young at his disposal this year. London Humphreys is Georgia’s only returning pass catcher who had more than 15 receptions last season.
But perhaps more importantly, Stockton will get the chance to play with Drew Bobo. The Georgia center was second-team All-SEC last season, despite suffering a season-ending foot injury against Georgia Tech in late November.
In the four-game stretch mentioned above, Bobo started and finished none of those. His impact on the Georgia offense, and Stockton in particular, was made very clear at the end of last season.
Stockton likely doesn’t care that he isn’t viewed in the same light as Chambliss or Manning, or CJ Carr of Notre Dame, or Darian Mensah of Miami. His goal is to lead Georgia to a national championship.
If he is to do that in 2026, Stockton and the Bulldogs will have to play better at the end of the season.
“With what you do now in the playoffs, in the games you have to win, I think the cream comes to the top,” coach Kirby Smart said. “The best team comes out and wins. It’s who’s playing the best at the end. It might not be who’s playing the best in the beginning, but that’s who wins the championship.”