Zachariah Branch left a gaping hole in Georgia's offense when he left for the NFL Draft this year. After setting the single season receptions record at Georgia last season he left a young and inexperienced wide receiver room some big shoes to fill heading into the 2026 season.
It's going to be a team effort to replace the production Branch had last season, but Georgia's wide receiver room has a lot of talented players ready to make a name for themselves.
Kirby Smart however went out and grabbed former Georgia Tech wide receiver Isiah Canion out of the Transfer Portal, and Gunner Stockton believes he will be a big piece in making up for Branch's absence.
“He (Canion) is pretty special in pads,” Stockton said via dawgnation.com. “He looks awesome. But he’s done a great job of, you know, working and doing everything in the offseason. If it’s, you know, when it’s winter workouts, then it goes to spring. Like, he had a great spring, and just the work he’s been putting into it. And, you know, he’s buying into the culture. You’d think he’s been here for three years or two years. But he’s a great guy to go in and work with every day.”
Gunner Stockton's secret weapon won't be a secret for much longer
Canion had a solid career at Georgia Tech in his two seasons with the Yellow Jackets. In 2025 he totaled 35 receptions for 480 yards and four touchdowns to cement himself as a legit Power Four receiver. When he entered the Transfer Portal he received a lot of attention from many schools, but he decided to stay close to home and go to Georgia.
That is a decision Stockton is already happy about. Stockton said that Canion has already become a leader in their locker room and has proven that he will be a big piece of the offense this fall. Will he be as big of a piece as Branch was is the question though.
It isn't realistic for anyone to expect him to set a receiving record this season like Branch did. No one should even expect Canion to play like Branch either because their styles of play are completely different. Branch thrived in turning short passes into big gains by using his speed and elusiveness to his advantage, but Canion has a big frame and a lot of height that every corner will struggle defending.
Even if Canion won't play like Branch though he can help Georgia in other ways. They have been missing a reliable deep threat down the field for years now, and that is where Canion can slide in and help this offense.
Stockton knows how lucky he is to be able to throw the ball to him this year, and soon everyone will know who Canion is and why he was such a big pickup for Georgia this offseason.
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