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ESPN's staff selected the top national award candidate for each team in its Way-Too-Early Top 25 for the 2026 college football season. For Georgia, the choice was quarterback Gunner Stockton as the Heisman Trophy winner. Stockton is coming off his first full season as the starter for the Bulldogs. Stockton finished seventh in Heisman voting in 2025 after leading the Bulldogs to a 12-2 record and second straight SEC title in his first season as a starter. He completed 69.7% of his pass attempts for 2,894 yards with 24 touchdowns and five interceptions. He's a physical and effective runner, gaining 462 yards with 10 scores. Stockton isn't the flashiest quarterback, but he's productive and rarely makes mistakes. If he can take the next step as a passer by taking advantage of throws down the middle of the field, he could be even better in 2026. -- Mark Schlabach Stockton completed 69.7 percent (269-of-386) of his passes for 2,894 yards and 24 touchdowns, with five interceptions during the 2025 season. He rushed 142 times for 462 yards and 10 touchdowns. Stockton was the first Bulldogs' quarterback to lead the team in rushing touchdowns since Frank Sinkwich had 16 in 1942 en route to winning the Heisman Trophy. A third-team All-SEC selection, Stockton finished the 2025 season with the second-lowest interception percentage, behind only Greyson Lambert (0.78%, 2015). He is on track to have the lowest career interception percentage (1.49%) in program history, with Jake Fromm's 1.83% (18 in 982 pass attempts currently No. 1) "The last thing I'm worried about is the Heisman, and I think the last thing he's worried about is the Heisman," Kirby Smart said during the regular season. "Gunner's been awesome for our team. He's a selfless player. He's a winner. He cares about his team. He makes great decisions. I think that's a decision for somebody else. I don't get into — I've never come out and said something like that with our guys. He's certainly a great player with great players around him." Stockton led fourth-quarter comebacks against Ole Miss, at Tennessee, and against Florida in Jacksonville, Fla. Against the then-ranked No. 5 Rebels, Stockton went 12-for-12 passing for 135 yards and three touchdowns, erasing a 35-26 deficit in the fourth quarter. In doing so, Stockton became the first quarterback to go 12-for-12 or better against an AP top-five opponent since California's Aaron Rodgers did it against No. 1 USC in 2004. Stockton was the second Georgia quarterback to finish in the top 10 in the last four seasons, with Stetson Bennett finishing fourth in the 2022 voting before earning his third and fourth College Football Playoff offensive MVP awards en route to leading his team to back-to-back CFP National Championships. Before that, defensive tackle Jordan Davis finished ninth in 2021, linebacker Roquan Smith finished ninth in 2017, outside linebacker Jarvis Jones finished 10th in 2012, two-way star Champ Bailey finished seventh in 1998, Zeier finished seventh in 1994, running back Garrison Hearst finished third in 1992, running back Herschel Walker won it in 1982, and quarterback Ray Goff finished seventh in 1976.