As the 2025 season nears, with just 2 odd months left for the regular season, there is a strange sense of calm at Georgia’s camp. But that’s perplexing, right? They had lost their stalwart QB Carson Beck, who sneakily went to Miami on a $4 million NIL deal instead of moving to the NFL as was expected. The move left Georgia with an inexperienced Gunner Stockton. National analysts have been cautious, even skeptical, about Stockton’s readiness to lead a championship-caliber team. But inside the locker room? They have utmost faith in their ‘inexperienced’ QB and are rallying behind him.
“He’s always got a smile on his face, no matter what the circumstances are, he’s always smiling. He’s a great guy to be around. Also, he’s a great leader,” said receiver Dominic Lovett to the NY Times last season. While Stockton may have just 440 yards to his name last year and the tag of an inexperienced QB on him, his antithesis, a 1984 Ford F-150 driving low-key persona compared to Carson Beck, is what makes him so intriguing.
At least this persona is what we see when he is off the field, but on the field? He allegedly “talks trash”, tests your nerves, and on your bad day? Gunner Stockton will be your worst nightmare. “He is a church mouse off the field — does not say a word. On the field, complete flip,” says Tate Ratledge, Georgia’s former guard who was selected in the second round this year in the NFL draft. Ratledge even told the story of how Stockton came on against Texas in that SEC championship game last year and showed his on-field aggressive persona.
“He scrambles, runs, and lowers his shoulder on a corner[back], gets up and starts talking s–t to him. We were in the huddle like, ‘oh man, here we go’. He’s fired up.” This switch in personality and leading by example is a trait his teammates love the most about him. Also, it’s not that he is not talented. He came on in place of an injured Carson Beck and led Kirby Smart to his third SEC title at Georgia. In doing that, he completed 71 yards and was very efficient with a 75% completion rate, completing 12 of the 16 passes. So, the talent is there, but his personality is what makes players rally behind him.
Dawgs HQ Co-Owner, Rusty Mansell, sat with David Cone and Jake Crain in ‘Crain and Company’s’ June 6th Episode. Here, Mansell talked about how Stockton is emerging as a leader due to his dominant personality on the field. “You look at him and he’s who you think he is. He checks all the boxes. I’ve known him since eighth grade. Don’t let the skunk kind of personality you see from him. He’s got some –er in him. I’ll never forget being at a seven-on-seven one summer, and I stood behind him, and I heard some kind of stuff come out of his mouth. I was like, “Wait a minute. Okay, this guy, this guy’s cut a little differently right now.”
Mansell concluded that his personality is the main reason why the locker room is completely behind him and why he is considered to be an “awesome roommate”. “He gets up and says some words. Now, that’s why that locker room is behind him because they know who he is.” As for some of the issues we saw from him, like his 4 sacks against Notre Dame last year or the 2 against Texas.
These are the areas the QB is toiling in, and his high school career, where he passed for 13,652 yards, is a testament to his excellence. Moreover, Stockton will also get a revamped receiving corps this year with several valuable additions like Zachariah Branch and Noah Thomas. And so, Stockton might emerge as the Dawgs’ hero after all. Last year, the Dawgs led the nation in drops, and this year? With Stockton and an efficient receiving room, the issues won’t likely be there. Moreover, the support for Stockton is steadily increasing.
Gunner Stockton gets another optimistic declaration
Georgia finished 11-3 last year and won the SEC championship. At any other place, the feat would be monumental and a cause for celebration. But Kirby Smart has set the bar very high with his consistent exploits, and so even the SEC championship wasn’t enough. There were issues like Mike Bobo’s offense and receiver drops that were highlighted, and the scrutiny was increased when it was revealed that there was no true leader in the locker room. At least Carson Beck didn’t step in as a leader.
“There wasn’t this guy that was a true locker room guy,” said former Georgia QB Aaron Murray, speaking with ON3’s J.D. PicKell. The QB also highlighted how there was a vast “disconnect” in the locker room. But now, with Stockton behind the center, it looks like the issues are things of the past. “Guys kind of rallied around Gunner Stockton. They had a little bit more of belief in him as maybe person, just a human being,” said Aaron Murray.
So, everything now seems to be in favor of Georgia. Stockton has emerged as their leader, and they have got the talent with a 2nd-ranked 2025 class nationally. Surely, everything seems to be sorted out. Now Kirby Smart needs to show his old prowess and finally lead Georgia to its third national championship under him.
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