When 247Sports’ post-spring SEC starting quarterback rankings were published last month, Kirby Smart was hardly pleased. Sitting outside the Top-10 even behind QBs like Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed, who scored zero offensive points against Texas last season, many felt Stockton’s evaluation was hardly fair. However, analyst Brad Crawford wasn’t mincing his words with the list. “Stockton has not shown enough yet to push him into the upper crust of SEC quarterbacking,” was the verdict. But looks like not everyone is on board with the opinion, and the disrespect the 22-year-old has been facing. But before we get to that…

The criticism was definitely not an isolated incident. Outspoken analyst Paul Finebaum also took it up a notch when he had outright given the Bulldogs’ newest starting quarterback “A big not fine!” during a Fine or Not Fine segment on ESPN. The 69-year-old had then doubled down, “I know the team coalesced around him in the SEC Championship Game, but I was underwhelmed by what I saw from Gunner Stockton in the Sugar Bowl loss to Notre Dame.”

After flashing serious potential in limited snaps, it’s hard to believe he’s not even in the conversation. But for Stockton, the snub is loud — and personal. And why not? In the 2024 season, he completed 45 of 64 passes (70.3%) for 440 yards, 1 TD, and 1 interception, finishing with a passer rating of 130.1. Though he had -13 rushing yards on 21 carries, Stockton’s real impact came in his composure and efficiency during limited action—playing six quarters, including in the SEC Title and Sugar Bowl. No wonder Georgia insider Ryan Kerley decided to defend the quarterback.

On the June 6 episode of UGA Football on Dawg Post, Kerley began, “I’m seeing a consistent trend from analysts, talking heads, experts—all of the above—is a little bit of disrespect for Gunner Stockton,” he said. “Now, I’m using the word ‘disrespect,’ which is a strong one, but it’s because I think it’s true at this point.” Stockton, a former four-star and high school football legend, wasn’t just a name on a list. He was handpicked by Mike Bobo and Kirby Smart as the future of Georgia football. “I don’t think there needs to be an announcement about that. He is the guy that they’ve chosen unofficially. It hasn’t been announced, but he is the starting quarterback for Georgia,” he continued.

“There’s still a lot of doubt about him. [But] all that’s been seen of him has been fairly positive in terms of the limited action we’ve seen…It’s not, ‘Oh, man! Gunner Stockton went in there and threw a bunch of bad interceptions, Gunner Stockton went in there and just made a ton of terrible decisions’. In the limited action we’ve seen of Gunner Stockton which was against high-level competition, it’s been mostly promising.”

Unfortunately, despite Stockton’s “promising” performances, Kerley says brutal rankings are dragging down both the signal caller and his team. “I see these lists where Georgia is not ranked in the top five — or ranked eight or whatever — partially because of Gunner Stockton,” Kerley said. “I see lists of the best quarterbacks in college football with 30 quarterbacks on it. I don’t see Gunner Stockton’s name on that list. I see a list from, you know, well-renowned people — top 10 quarterbacks in the SEC — I don’t see Gunner Stockton’s name on that. Are there really 10 quarterbacks better in the SEC than Gunner Stockton?”

Kerley then mentioned how he’s not crowning Stockton a Heisman winner just yet, or even handing Georgia the national title—at least, not now. But what excites him most about the upcoming season? The mystery. The unknowns. “I don’t know how good Georgia is going to be,” Kerley admitted. But make no mistake — he still believes the Dawgs are one of the best teams in the country. And that unpredictability? That’s what makes this season a must-watch.

Although some haven’t realized how good Stockton is, the QB still received an invitation for a prestigious award.

Latest update on Gunner Stockton

The Manning Passing Academy has been rolling out its star-studded attendee list all month on Instagram. This Friday, the elite offseason skills camp dropped a big name — Georgia’s own QB has officially been invited. Stockton will share the spotlight with top-tier talents like Texas phenom Arch Manning, LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, Clemson’s rising star Cade Klubnik, and more. It’s a who’s who of CFB’s brightest QB prospects — and Stockton is right in the mix.

This year’s Manning Passing Academy kicks off June 26 and runs through June 29 at Nicholls State in Thibodaux, Louisiana. Led by Archie Manning and his legendary sons Peyton and Eli, the camp is celebrating its 29th year as the ultimate offseason destination for college QBs. For Stockton, this experience is pure gold. A redshirt junior, he is stepping into his 4th year with Georgia. After 3 seasons as a backup, the path is clear — with Beck transferring to the Miami Hurricanes, Stockton is poised to take the reins as the Bulldogs’ starting QB in 2025.

Do you think he’ll be able to make it count?