Last Saturday's Heisman Trophy ceremony came and went with Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza beating out Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia, Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love, and Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin. With Love, Mendoza, and Pavia all heading for the NFL, Sayin will be back for at least one more season.
Naturally, he headlines Mark Schlabach's list of way-too-early Heisman Trophy candidates for 2026 over on ESPN. Along with Ohio State teammate Jeremiah Smith, Sayin is one of the first three players listed, including Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Gunner Stockton. Like Sayin and Smith, Stockton was a top-10 vote getter for the 2025 Heisman Trophy. Stockton finished seventh for this year's trophy...
While Stockton being firmly listed among the top 15 players for it, that is not always the best thing for a well-thought-of Georgia star. Over the last 20 years, we have seen players such as Matthew Stafford, Aaron Murray, Todd Gurley, Nick Chubb, and Carson Beck all be among the most serious candidates to win it. Only Stetson Bennett IV has been a finalist for the Heisman in over a generation.
Obviously, Stockton has experience and the narrative working for him, but it is a blessing and a curse.
Gunner Stockton most overcome Georgia narrative to win 2026 Heisman
What we have to do here is try to see where it went wrong for just about every former Georgia star of note, outside of Bennett, as to why they were never Heisman candidates in the end. Not including Bennett, every former Georgia player listed above had a tremendous end to the season prior, but for whatever reason, could not replicate it for the duration the following year, injuries and what have you.
Bennett stands out because he actually built off his first season as the full-time starter in 2021. He was quarterbacking the defending national champions, but effectively forced his way into the Heisman Trophy conversation late once Hendon Hooker had to unfortuantely bow out of it due to injury. Stockton may need to follow a path similar to Bennett to achieve that college football glory.
Overall, Stockton's stock is going to be quite high heading into this offseason. The chances of him turning pro are virtually non-existent. Like Bennett after the 2021 campaign, Stockton is not really a draftable player right now, but one that could trend up with a larger body of work. This narrative could push Stockton to even greater heights. He could have the motivation working for him like Bennett did.
Ultimately, the Heisman Trophy has often gone to players who are lying in the tall grass, waiting to strike. Next year's winner might be out there in the periphery like Mendoza was this year, Joe Burrow was in 2019, Cam Newton in 2010, and so on. The fact nobody is crowning Stockton to be any NFL team's QB1 in 2027 only works in his favor. However, he has to overcome the Georgia of it all to win it.
Since Georgia is such a talent-laden team, Stockton will not get the benefit of the doubt from voters.