Gunner Stockton is walking into a season with plenty of eyes on him, and not all of them are friendly. The Georgia quarterback has support inside Athens, but outside of it, the doubts are loud. That skepticism has now come from a pair of anonymous SEC defensive coordinators, and their evaluations paint a familiar picture for anyone tracking the Stetson Bennett conversation.
One coordinator praised Stockton’s instincts and mobility while stopping short of calling him a top-tier thrower.
“He runs it better than you think, really smart, pretty accurate,” an anonymous SEC defensive coordinator said via dawgnation.com. “I don’t think he’s got unbelievable arm talent, but pretty good.”
That theme carried over with another SEC coach, who sees Stockton as a strong college quarterback but not necessarily a sure thing at the next level.
“He’s a great college quarterback,” a different SEC defensive coordinator said. “He’s tough, so he can get some bull yards and take some big hits and all that stuff.
I really like him, he’s a really good player. I don’t know if he’s an NFL specimen, but he’s a great college player.”
Those comments line up with the broader view from media and fans outside Athens, who have been hesitant to place Stockton among the elite quarterbacks in college football. Georgia fans, on the other hand, believe he can be much more than that.
The concern from the outside centers on the arm. Both coaches acknowledged Stockton’s running ability, toughness and overall value, but neither sounded convinced he has the kind of passing talent that separates the very best quarterbacks from the rest.
There is some truth to that assessment based on last season, when Stockton’s legs stood out more than his arm. His passing wasn’t on the same level as some of the top quarterbacks in the country.
Still, that’s the part of his game he’s been working on most this offseason. And with the season now in front of him, Stockton has a real chance to answer the questions himself.
If this is his last year in college, he’ll need to show he can be more than a runner with toughness and a decent arm. If he does that, a first-round path in the 2027 NFL Draft is right there.
The comparison to Stetson Bennett makes the situation even sharper. Bennett is living the reality that skeptics around Stockton are warning about: a quarterback who has to fight to prove he belongs beyond college.
Bennett is entering the final year of his contract with the LA Rams and is set to be a backup again. For the first time in his career, he appears to be in line as the Rams’ second-string quarterback, but that may not change his long-term outlook.
The Rams have made their future clear after drafting Ty Simpson in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Even if Bennett beats Simpson and ends up as the backup this season, the team likely lets him leave after the year and moves forward with Simpson.
So both quarterbacks are staring at defining seasons. Stockton has to prove his arm can match the belief Georgia fans already have in him.
Bennett is trying to hang onto a spot in the league while facing a future that looks increasingly narrow. For both, the next step is simple: show it on the field first.
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Talyn Taylor Is Forcing His Way Into Georgias Biggest WR Role
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The opportunity is there because Georgia needs someone to emerge, and Taylor is starting to look like a receiver who can stretch the field and become a trusted target for Gunner Stockton. He still has plenty to prove after a quiet freshman year, but the early signs suggest Georgia may be getting more than just a depth piece this fall. [Read more 🡒]
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Billy Tucker of ESPN has gone a step further, projecting Helton as one of the SECs most impactful freshmen this season, which says plenty about the buzz surrounding his development. For Georgia, any young lineman who can force his way into the discussion this quickly is worth watching, especially with the Bulldogs always looking for answers up front. What remains to be seen is how much of that promise turns into game-day responsibility once the real pressure starts to ramp up. [Read more 🡒]