Rabun County quarterback Gunner Stockton is the Gatorade Georgia Football Player of the Year, Gatorade announced Tuesday.
Stockton passed for 4,134 yards and 55 touchdowns with only one interception for a Class 2A quarterfinal team this season. Stockton, who is committed to Georgia, set state career records for passing touchdowns (177), touchdowns passing and rushing (254) and yards passing and rushing (18,024).
The 6-foot-1, 220-pound senior quarterback is a four-time All-State honoree and was selected to play in the 2022 All-American Bowl.
The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Stockton as Georgia’s best high school football player,” Gatorade says.
Stockton has maintained an A average in the classroom.
A devoted member of his church community, Stockton has volunteered locally on behalf of food donation drives.
Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Football Player of the Year award, Stockton joins an elite alumni association of state award-winners, including Emmitt Smith (1986-87, Escambia High School, Fla.), Matthew Stafford (2005-06, Highland Park High School, Texas) and Christian McCaffrey (2012-13 & 2013-14, Valor Christian High School, Colo.).
“Gunner Stockton is special,” said Stewart Young, head coach at Saluda (S.C.) High School. “He’s big, fast and he can flat out spin it. He can fly on his feet and he seeks out contact when running. I’ve never coached against a quarterback like him.”
Recent Gatorade POY Georgia winners are Brock Vandagriff of Prince Avenue Christian (2020), Arik Gilbert of Marietta (2019), Jamious Griffin of Rome (2018) and Trevor Lawrence of Cartersville (2017). Stockton is the first to be chosen from Rabun County High School.
