ATHENS — Gunner Stockton nearly derailed Malaki Starks football career before the Georgia All-American bloomed into a 5-star prospect.
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Love to hear the story of how a tough young safety became a D1 QB
Initially, I'm thinking Pugs will come in and quickly over take Gunner.....I could not have been more wrong....Gunner is a gamer and despite Pug's over the top athleticism and competitive nature, he's in for a battle......and as they say, "steal sharpens steal", and I'm glad they both wear the G!
Fun story. I bet the tables are turned now. Gunner may not want Starks to stick him.
At the high school level, ESPECIALLY smaller schools like Rabun's Class A, the best athletes play both offense and defense. It is a major reason why option and spread offenses are popular with the smaller high schools because it allows your starting QB to also be a defensive back or pass rusher. When college teams played more pro-style and I-formation football kids had to either switch positions in college, head to the option programs in the Big 8 and SWC or play at a smaller school. Thanks to the spread, as well as a lot of pro style offenses adopting spread principles, a lot more of these kids are now playing QB, both in college and in the NFL. So as recently as 10-15 years ago, when Mark Richt tried to sell Cam Newton on playing DE or TE, made no serious attempt to recruit Deshaun Watson until Watson's senior year and honestly didn't recruit Josh Dobbs at all, it is fair to say that if Gunner Stockton had gotten an SEC scholarship it would have been to play DB or WR at Kentucky or Ole Miss. Or maybe QB at Mississippi State for Dan Mullen's spread option offense.
Gunner is built like a tank. Old school guys will remember Billy Kilmer. 6'ft. 210 (probably more like 220 by the end of his playing days) . Looked more like a full back than a QB.
JUst for fun London was on the Player's Lounge podcast and he looks and talks like Ashton Kuchar, especially his speech!
