Gunner Stockton Won TWO SEC Titles and Klatt STILL Left Him Off His Top 10? What Is Happening?!
Alright, Seattle, you gotta see this. Joel Klatt just dropped his top-10 returning quarterbacks for the 2026 season, and honestly, it’s a total head-scratcher. We’re talking about Georgia's senior QB, Gunner Stockton, a dude who finished in the top-10 of Heisman voting for the 2025 college football season, a guy with two SEC championships to his name, and he’s NOWHERE on Klatt’s list! Seriously? You can feel the disrespect from here, even if it's not our boys in the Emerald City.
Klatt's Criteria Makes Stockton's Snub Even Wilder
Klatt, bless his heart, didn't even try to explain why Stockton was left off. He just gave us some generic criteria about how he'd "draft them" for this season, considering "experience level" and "what they have coming back on their own teams." But when you look at Stockton’s resume, those excuses fall flatter than a pancake. The man has two College Football Playoff starts! He's gone 2-1 in his career against other quarterbacks actually on Klatt’s top-10 list, including a dominant 1-0 against Arch Manning and a 1-1 split with Trinidad Chambliss. How does that not scream "experience" or "proven winner"? Last year, in his first full season as a starter, Stockton threw for 34 total touchdowns and only five interceptions. THIRTY-FOUR TDs, FIVE PICKS. That's elite production, folks!
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Who Made The Cut Instead?
So if Stockton, with his rings and his stats, didn't make it, who did? Klatt's list features names like Dante Moore from Oregon, Arch Manning from Texas, Julian Sayin from Ohio State, and Trinidad Chambliss from Ole Miss. You've also got CJ Carr, John Mateer, Jayden Maiava, Darian Mensah, Josh Hoover, and Sam Leavitt rounding it out. Four other SEC quarterbacks are on that list, making Stockton's exclusion even more baffling. It’s wild to think that four other guys from his own conference, some of whom he’s beaten, got the nod while the guy with back-to-back conference titles is sitting on the outside looking in. This feels like an oversight that’s going to light a fire under Stockton.
The Season Ahead Will Tell the Tale
Look, you know how this goes. Snubs like this are pure rocket fuel for competitors, and Gunner Stockton is definitely that. He’s going to have plenty of chances to prove Klatt dead wrong. Georgia already has matchups scheduled against two of Klatt's top-10 quarterbacks: John Mateer from Oklahoma and Trinidad Chambliss from Ole Miss. You better believe Stockton is going to be playing with a massive chip on his shoulder in those games. The 2026 season is gonna be a show, and everyone is watching to see if Klatt’s take holds up or if Stockton proves he belongs at the top. Bring on the drama!
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.