Gunner Stockton is one of the few returning quarterbacks in the 2026 season. After helping lead Georgia to a College Football Playoff appearance and a 12-2 season in 2025, anticipation and excitement are high for what the Bulldogs can achieve in the upcoming season.
Gunner Stockton’s Georgia Decision Earns Rave Reviews From Analyst
Stockton joined Georgia as part of the 2022 recruiting class and spent his first two seasons on the bench with the Bulldogs. He served as the primary backup quarterback to Carson Beck during the 2023 and 2024 seasons before taking over as the starting quarterback in 2025.
While many players leave programs to chase more playing time, Stockton never once explored the transfer portal.
In the “Adapt & Respond” podcast on Tuesday, host RJ Young had nothing but praise for Stockton’s loyalty towards Georgia.
“For Georgia fans and I think casual college football fans, it’s a breath of fresh air to breathe in that there is a star quarterback somewhere on a premier college football program or team somewhere who never once considered entering the transfer portal and was rewarded for his loyalty,” Young said (0:54).
“Georgia has made a habit of this. By the way, this has been Kirby Smart from day one. They pay veterans more than they pay anybody else.
“If you are recruited to play at Georgia and you continue to play at Georgia, you will be rewarded for playing at Georgia. Even so much so that they’ll probably overpay some of their veterans just to drive home the point of who they are and what they want to do. ”
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Stockton officially signed a new deal with Georgia this month for the 2026 season. Young’s comments followed remarks from Stockton’s agent, Faryn Healy of ESM, about the quarterback’s loyalty.
“He did not feel an announcement was necessary as he is a player who would never consider transferring,” Healy told On3. “He could have earned two to three times more by entering the portal, but Gunner bleeds red and black.
“He wanted UGA to have the budget to retain and acquire the talent for the roster needed to compete for another championship. Gunner doesn’t play football at UGA for money. Leading that team is his lifelong dream.”
Stockton threw for 2,894 yards, 24 touchdowns, and five interceptions while also rushing for 462 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2025. Before 2025, he had completed only 57 passes for 588 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions.
He ranks No. 12 nationally in the PFSN College Football QB Impact Metric with an 88.0 rating. His performance has already put him in Heisman discussions heading into his second full season as a starter.
As for Smart, he has shown similar loyalty to Georgia, serving as the Bulldogs’ head coach for a decade. Georgia will begin the 2026 season against Tennessee State on Sept. 5, with Stockton aiming to lead the Bulldogs to a third consecutive SEC Championship.
