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Postion Week: Three predictions for Georgia QBs in 2026

On3 imageby: Jake Rowe24 hours agoJakeMRowe

The summer is here. Georgia completed spring practice in April and now the focus turns to summer workouts with preseason camp to follow. The team will spend the next few months getting bigger, stronger, faster and more connected.

That work will be done out of sight but not out of mind. For the purpose of making sure everyone knows as much as possible about Kirby Smart’s 11th team at Georgia, we’re breaking down a position each week. Quarterback week roles on and today we’ve got three predictions to share.

Georgia will need to lean on its backup at some point in 2026

Maybe Gunner Stockton turns over a new leaf and stops putting his body on the line, but I went back and watched the entire season in February. It’s a miracle that Stockton made it through the entire 2025 season unscathed. He simply didn’t protect himself like he could and probably should have. Stockton took a lot of hits that he didn’t need to, but he also took a lot of hits that gave Georgia a chance to win.

I don’t see him going through that for a second straight season without Georgia having to turn to a backup. At some point this season, I believe that there’s a very good chance that someone else will have to come out and lead the offense for a little.

Ryan Puglisi will start the season as the backup quarterback

We all know how much Georgia has valued experience at quarterback under Kirby Smart. Whether you love it or hate it, that’s just the truth. Puglisi is the only quarterback on this roster not named Stockton who has any game experience. Because of that and an impressive physica skillset, I believe that he will begin the 2026 season as Stockton’s direct understudy.

I also get the impression that Puglisi is the kind of player and personality who will react well to the doubt out there since the G-Day game. He did not play his best ball in that game, and I think his fall camp will be much improved, holding off the two guys chasing him.

Georgia will get some meaningful snaps out of Hezekiah Millender

Whether he ends up winning the backup job at some point or becomes a role player at the position, Millender will find his way onto the field in 2026. This is the boldest prediction of the bunch because Georgia just hasn’t done much of this under Smart, especially when the role-playing quarterback isn’t the backup guy.

But Millender is a different dude than the rest of the group. He’s not just a mobile guy. He’s a big, strong mobile guy who can cause problems with the power run. If Georgia wants to limit the shots that Stockton takes, it can call Millender’s numbers for some of those quarterback runs on 3rd and short. Considering how the Bulldogs showed that they trust Stockton’s legs and arms on fourth down last year, I even like the idea.

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