Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Gunner Stockton couldn’t help the program win in the Sugar Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game against the Ole Miss Rebels. The quarterback completed 18 of 31 passes for one touchdown.
After the 39-34 loss, the quarterback’s future is very much in the air at the moment. He had a strong season, leading Georgia to the SEC Championship and being ranked No. 3 in the College Football Playoff.
Is Gunner Stockton Going to the NFL?
Gunner Stockton was a redshirt junior on the Georgia Bulldogs roster for the 2025 season. He just finished his fourth year with the program, and as per NCAA rules, he still has one more year of eligibility remaining after the 2025 season. Assuming he doesn’t declare for the 2026 NFL draft, he will return to play in 2026.
Earlier in December, Stockton was asked whether he would return for the 2026 season or declare for the upcoming NFL draft.
“I haven’t thought about any of that,” he said.
However, Stockton did walk during Georgia’s Senior Day alongside the team’s seniors, sparking reactions that he might declare for the NFL draft. However, the quarterback was quick to suggest otherwise.
“I walked with senior day because those are all the guys I came in with. Just a moment to look back and appreciate that,” Stockton said.
At the moment, seeing Stockton’s low appeal in the NFL draft, there is a good chance he returns for another season and improves his stock. In 2025, he threw for 2,535 passing yards, 20 touchdowns and five interceptions in 12 games. He has also rushed for 403 yards and eight touchdowns on 103 carries.
According to draft evaluators, Stockton is ranked around the middle of the quarterback group for the 2026 class and is generally seen as a potential Day 3 pick (fifth round or later) rather than an early-round selection.
The NFL scouts find him to be a developmental quarterback with limited draft ceiling given his size, experience, and passing polish.
“The raw tools are there for Stockton to develop into an intriguing developmental quarterback prospect,” SEC scout Bill Miller wrote.
As such, given the low appeal for Stockton on NFL draft evaluators and stocks, it appears he will return for the 2026 season and push his best case forward in his final season.
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