Kirby Smart shares what stands out about Gunner Stockton's 'impressive' spring

Much of the conversation around the Georgia offense in 2024 revolves around Carson Beck. After throwing for nearly 4,000 yards a season ago, he’s back for another year with the Bulldogs as the starting quarterback and is generating some early Heisman Trophy buzz.

But UGA has another quarterback on the roster who’s drawing comparisons to Beck’s role in 2022 behind Stetson Bennett. And through Saturday’s G-Day spring game, Gunner Stockton made some big plays and drew rave reviews from Kirby Smart.

Stockton played in four games last year as a redshirt freshman behind Beck. He again looks to be in the reserve role in 2024, but he knows his opportunity is waiting for him. Through spring practice, Smart said Stockton is consistently getting better, and there could be some looks throughout the season that can’t show up in the spring game.

“He’s had a really good spring, man,” Smart told SEC Network’s Aaron Murray. “He understands the offense better, playing with confidence. … He’s been really good. He started great there, that big throw. He’s really a mobile guy that we don’t get to use that right now because we’re not tackling. So he doesn’t get to run around and do quarterback designed runs that he can actually do. But his spring has been really impressive for me. I’m proud of him.”

Stockton generated some buzz on the recruiting trail out of Rabun County (Ga.) A four-star prospect, he came in as the No. 149 overall player and No. 9-ranked quarterback from the 2022 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

But even despite his scarce playing time, Gunner Stockton is ready for his chance to lead the offense down the road. That’s why his mentality was simple entering G-Day.

“I want to show everybody that I can play. That’s what I tried to do in the Orange Bowl. Thought I did. This is an opportunity to go play a game. That’s the way I look at it,” Stockton told reporters on Tuesday. “I’ve been working on being in the pocket and trying to develop. In the meeting room with Coach Bobo, he does a great job of teaching us and explaining stuff. It’s really helpful, and I’m trying to develop on that.”

After G-Day wraps up, Georgia will turn its attention to summer workouts with the season opener awaiting in August against Clemson.