AJC Super 11 selection making his case as Georgia’s best freshman

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Gunner Stockton hadn’t done much when it came to throwing the football Saturday. He mostly leaned on his legs to toy with the Arkansas defense.

But in the fourth quarter, he found Craig Dandridge for a 61-yard touchdown in the Bulldogs’ 45-17 win. It was a good throw from Stockton but a better route and run from the 2025 AJC Super 11 selection out of Cambridge High School.

“Craig, that route he ran at the end, he did a great job,” said Stockton, who was a 2021 Super 11 pick. “Heading up to safety and making him look a little silly. But he’s a really good route runner, and he works every day. And he does a good job with that, and he’s fun to be around.”

Dandridge was one of Georgia’s top recruits in the previous recruiting cycle and it’s easy to see why. His acceleration makes him a threat to speed away from opposing defenders. His 61-yard reception came a week after he hauled in a 43-yard pass in Georgia’s win over Western Kentucky.

Through three games, Dandridge has a case as Georgia’s most impactful freshman. Offensive guard Zykie Helton deserves mention, while Valdin Sone, PJ Dean and Khamari Brooks (also a Super 11 selection) have contributed on the defensive side of the football.

But the former Cambridge standout is a blossoming piece in Georgia’s passing game. If he can continue to make explosive plays, Georgia will have answered one of its biggest offseason criticisms.

“He works really hard,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “Craig is very smart and very intelligent. He’s savvy. He plays fast. He catches the ball and he runs after the catch. He made a great catch on a bubble pass that he probably shouldn’t have caught. And then he caught the big ‘over’ and broke a tackle. So we tell our guys all the time: If you catch the ball well and you break tackles, you’re gonna get touches.”