Second-year surge: Georgia QB Gunner Stockton
It’s summertime in Athens and Kirby Smart’s eighth Georgia football team is putting in a lot of work behind closed doors. The entire 2023 class has arrived on campus and the Bulldogs are marching toward history.
A third consecutive National Championship, in the modern era, is unprecedented. But so was a back-to-back titles in the playoff era. In order for Georgia to stay on top of the mountain, it’ll have to rely on some players heading into their second season.
With that in mind, DawgsHQ is rolling out a series where we look at every scholarship player who is entering year two. Next up is a guy who played a massive role for Georgia as a freshman.
QB Gunner Stockton
Size: 6-foot-1 210 pounds
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 150 overall, No. 9 quarterback, No. 15 in Georgia
2022 Stats: Stockton did not see the field as a freshman while serving as the No. 4 quarterback behind Stetson Bennett, Carson Beck, and Brock Vandagriff, in that order. He was UGA’s primary scout-team quarterback for the season.
Stockton strengths and weaknesses…
Those who’ve seen Stockton since he enrolled in January of 2022 believe he has the “it” factor. He’s a quietly confident guy who is natural at a lot of things a quarterback is asked to do. He’s a quick, athletic guy who moves around well in the pocket. Stockton has a strong arm and he’s accurate, especially when throwing the ball to the outside.
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As a high school prospect he showed a willingness to use his legs when plays would break down. He has a burst to him that allows him to get upfield and gobble up yardage. Stockton possesses a quick release and throws the ball with good touch.
He’s not the tallest guy out there and that’s something that he can’t fix. Passes are going to get batted at the line of scrimmage from time to time, especially when he has to get rid of it without moving his feet to find the throwing lane. Stockton is a much better at throwing the ball outside than the middle of the field. While he’s considered an intelligent quarterback, he still has a lot to learn in UGA’s scheme.
The Buzz…
He exited spring as the No. 3 quarterback but it wasn’t hard to find positive reports on his on-field work. Those who saw practice commented on how he found a way to make at least a play or two in every practice that impressed onlookers. He did it some in the G-Day game, too, with a couple of nice back-shoulder throws. Stockton’s quick release was on display and while he didn’t just move the offense up and down the field, he showed some flashes.
In 2023…
Stockton is battling for the No. 2 spot right now. There’s a very, very outside shot he might make a move but it’s going to take a herculean effort during camp. Beck will be the guy barring something completely unexpected. Vandagriff’s mobility and knowledge of the system helps him with the No. 2 job but Stockton is going to battle for it. We expect him to get his first game action at some point this season.
