It’s impossible to talk about Gunner Stockton this season without also mentioning Carson Beck as well. For better or worse, the moment Beck transferred from Georgia to Miami caused these two quarterbacks to have to endure a season where they are constantly being compared.
Georgia fans want Stockton to prove he is the better player while Miami fans wanted Beck to show UGA what a mistake they made by letting Beck walk. Beck was winning this competition throughout the first half of the season, but this past weekend changed everything.
CBS Sports crowns Gunner Stockton as a better QB than Carson Beck
David Cobb with CBS Sports released his QB rankings on Wednesday, and the main story he focused on was comparing Stockton to Beck. And it’s clear who Cobb thinks is the better player at this point in the season.
“It's still too early to officially declare a winner in Georgia’s breakup with Carson Beck, but the Bulldogs took a lead in the competition during Week 8, thanks to the right arm (and legs) of Gunner Stockton,” Cobb shared via cbssports.com. “While Beck was busy tossing four interceptions in Miami’s home loss to Louisville on Friday, Stockton was preparing to author a legendary performance in UGA's top-10 showdown with Ole Miss.”
So where did Cobb rank both players? He moved Stockton up 24 spots to No. 10 while dropping Beck 26 spots to No. 38. So it’s clear he doesn’t just think Stockton is the better quarterback, he thinks he is significantly better.
“For Georgia fans, there is likely a sense of vindication”, Cobb continued. “During Miami's unbeaten start with Beck at quarterback, the Bulldogs caught some flack the way things ended with Beck after last season. Many also wondered why coach Kirby Smart didn't dive into the transfer portal to pick up Beck's replacement. Stockton has not only answered that question but has arguably elevated the position. In particular, his toughness -- playing through an oblique injury -- seems to have galvanized Georgia.”
Both Stockton and Beck have five more games to play this season to try and prove they are the better player. But with the way things are trending now, Stockton is close to winning this debate against his former teammate.