Gunner Stockton didn’t just step into Georgia’s starting quarterback role in 2025 - he stormed in and made it his own. In his first full season under center, Stockton didn’t just manage the Bulldogs’ offense - he elevated it, guiding the team to a 12-2 record and an SEC championship, all while dealing with a banged-up offensive line that shuffled more than a blackjack dealer in Vegas.
Now, after finishing seventh in the Heisman Trophy voting - behind only Ohio State’s Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith among returning players - Stockton is already drawing early buzz for the 2026 race. And honestly, it’s hard to argue with the hype.
Let’s talk numbers first, because they tell a story of consistency, poise, and playmaking. Stockton completed nearly 70% of his passes (269-of-386) for 2,894 yards, 24 touchdowns, and just five interceptions.
But that’s only part of the picture. He also added 462 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground - making him the first Georgia quarterback to lead the team in rushing scores since Frank Sinkwich did it back in 1942, the same year Sinkwich won the Heisman.
That’s not just a fun stat - it’s a sign of how much Stockton meant to this offense.
What really separates Stockton, though, is how he performs when the game is hanging in the balance. In fourth quarters during the 2025 season, he completed a staggering 83.6% of his passes with seven touchdowns and zero interceptions. That’s not just clutch - that’s ice-in-the-veins, game-on-the-line, give-me-the-ball type of stuff.
He wasn’t just padding stats in blowouts, either. Stockton engineered comeback wins against Ole Miss, Tennessee, and Florida - all in the fourth quarter.
The Ole Miss performance was particularly special. Down 35-26 to the No. 5-ranked Rebels, Stockton went a perfect 12-for-12 for 135 yards and three touchdowns in the final frame.
That kind of efficiency against a top-five team? The last time a quarterback went 12-for-12 or better against an AP top-five opponent was Aaron Rodgers in 2004 - and that’s the kind of company you want to keep.
And despite all that, Stockton’s not the kind of guy who’s chasing individual accolades. Head coach Kirby Smart made it clear during the season that the Heisman isn’t something Stockton is focused on - and that’s exactly the kind of mindset you want in your quarterback.
“Gunner’s been awesome for our team. He’s a selfless player.
He’s a winner. He cares about his team.
He makes great decisions,” Smart said. That’s not coach-speak - that’s a coach backing a player who’s earned every bit of that praise.
Stockton’s efficiency wasn’t just a one-season flash, either. He finished the year with the second-lowest interception percentage in Georgia history - behind only Greyson Lambert’s 2015 mark - and he’s on pace to set the all-time program record for career interception percentage.
Right now, Jake Fromm holds that title at 1.83%. Stockton is sitting at 1.49%.
That’s elite ball security, especially for a quarterback who isn’t afraid to take shots downfield or make plays with his legs.
He also became just the second Georgia quarterback in the last four seasons to finish in the top 10 of Heisman voting. Stetson Bennett did it in 2022, finishing fourth before leading Georgia to back-to-back College Football Playoff titles and collecting two CFP Offensive MVP awards along the way.
Stockton now joins a proud lineage of Georgia Heisman contenders - from Jordan Davis and Roquan Smith to Herschel Walker and Garrison Hearst. But he’s carving out his own legacy, one fourth-quarter comeback at a time.
If 2025 was just the beginning, then 2026 could be the year Gunner Stockton goes from promising playmaker to Heisman frontrunner. And if you’ve watched him play, you know - that’s not just talk. That’s a very real possibility.