It’s been four long years in Athens for Gunner Stockton. And yet, somehow, the Georgia QB still feels like a mystery wrapped in red and black. He waited, watched, and gritted his teeth on the sidelines while Carson Beck ran the show. But when the former QB went down last season, Stockton didn’t blink. He stepped into the fire and nearly pulled off a storybook run. And now, with Beck suiting up for Miami, all eyes are on him in 2025. Kirby Smart may not have stuck that QB1 label on him yet, but anyone who’s been following the Dawgs can read between the lines. He’s taking that first snap against Marshall. But is he ready? And more importantly, does Georgia believe he’s ready?

This is where Georgia’s OC and QBs coach Mike Bobo enters the chat. In a new episode on UGA Football on Dawg Post on August 6, he gave a revealing peek into Gunner Stockton’s development. And his answer is simple and raw. “He has not changed,” he said. “He’s in this offense now for his fourth year and some of the same notes, some of the same reminders, some of the same coaching points, and that guy every day is taking notes like he’s a first year freshman.” This guy is still acting like he’s trying to earn a scholarship. That may not sound flashy but if you’re a Georgia fan still nursing a post-Beck hangover, that’s exactly what you want to hear. 

The former blue-chip QB out of Rabun County is now the top dawg in Athens after Carson Beck’s injury opened the door last December. And according to Mike Bobo, Gunner Stockton is doing all he can to improve himself. “We can always be more efficient in everything we do fundamentally and technique-wise at the quarterback position. And that’s something that we’ve been working on,” he said. “Sometimes everything doesn’t have to be a howitzer. You know, learning how to layer the ball. He made a throw yesterday that we pointed out to some things that we had done and trying to just improve on little things every day.” Well, his resume isn’t overflowing with reps. Just five games last year, 83 total pass attempts in three seasons. But when the moment came, when the Dawgs needed someone to hold the line, he delivered.

In the SEC title game, Gunner Stockton engineered a gritty 22-19 overtime win over Texas, highlighted by an 8-yard scramble that set up Trevor Etienne’s walk-off touchdown. One week later, it was Notre Dame in the CFP quarterfinals. The result is a humbling 23-10 loss. But not without flashes of brilliance including 234 yards, a TD, and a strip-sack that reminded us all this kid’s still learning. “He’s been preparing like he’s a starting quarterback for four years,” said tight end Oscar Delp. “So, there’s no one I trust more than Gunner.” ESPN’s Bill Connelly isn’t betting against him either, calling Stockton “one of the most important players in the sport in 2025.” Even though he has support from a lot of places, not everyone’s sold.

Paul Finebaum sounds off on Gunner Stockton 

Paul Finebaum didn’t exactly roll out the red carpet for Gunner Stockton during his latest SEC quarterback rankings on The Paul Finebaum Show. “I don’t rank him really high. I think he’s middle of the pack. Maybe middle to lower of the pack,” he said. “He could go higher. That’s a cliche, but I’m telling you that anyway, and ultimately he has a lot to prove.” The analyst didn’t stop there. 

Paul Finebaum questioned if Gunner Stockton could lead Georgia to a national title. “I don’t have a lot of faith in Gunner Stockton,” he added, before backpedaling a bit saying he had more faith in Gunner now than he once had in Stetson Bennett. And we all know how that turned out. “So, it’s proven that Georgia, if it has an elite defense and enough complements on offense, can get there,” he said. 

To be fair, Paul Finebaum has a point. Gunner Stockton won’t fix Georgia’s offense alone. The Bulldogs’ offense was clunky last year going 102nd in rushing yards and led the country in drops (36). That’s not exactly a QB’s dream environment. But help could be on the way, with Zachariah Branch looking like a breakout WR star, and a revamped run game in the works. The QB doesn’t need to be perfect. He just needs to be steady because Georgia’s floor remains elite. But the ceiling rests on his arm, his poise, and his gunslinger instincts that Mike Bobo is still fine-tuning. And it all kicks off August 30, against Marshall at 3:30 p.m. ET.