Auburn football: Silver lining in Gunner Stockton-Georgia commitment

After all of the poaching Auburn football has done to the South Carolina football program, it felt as though the Tigers had a legitimate shot at signing away 2022 QB Gunner Stockton away from the Gamecocks as well.

Not long ago, Stockton was rumored to be potentially Plains-bound:

"There appears to be smoke Tuesday (I so meant to do that) in relation to a Stockton-to-Auburn fire. The Tigers appear to be shifting their attention to the position with Dematrius Davis making his way to the Plains next season to give Bo Nix competition at the signal-caller spot.Scott could eventually compete with double-D for reps, but Stockton–by way of being a five-star recruit–would eventually have the keys to the offense.This would be a huge get for Auburn football, and the Mike Bobo connection to South Carolina cannot be overstated. Harsin’s offensive coordinator hire could directly lead to a program-changing quarterback ending up under center in 2022 and beyond."

Now, the talented gunslinger from Tiger, Georgia won’t be a Tiger…but will instead be heading to Georgia: 

"Georgia’s recruiting class for 2022 got a major boost Thursday with 5-star quarterback Gunner Stockton committing to the Bulldogs.The Tiger, Georgia, native is ranked as the top dual-threat quarterback in the Class of 2022, the No. 4 player from Georgia and the No. 38 player in the country overall, per 247Sports.Georgia will be bringing aboard a player fresh off a brilliant junior season. Stockton threw for 3,128 yards, 45 touchdowns and four interceptions, adding 1,581 yards and 26 scores on the ground."

It’s undoubtedly disappointing news for Auburn football fans, who have yet to see any major recruits switch course on their commitments to boost the Tigers’ recruitment for future seasons.

Of course, in recent seasons, the team has not been focusing enough resources on bringing on the best talent, losing out to more successful conference foes.

That said, while it is easy to focus on the negatives right now, it is important to remember that even though Stockton won’t be making his way to Auburn in the coming years, a dual-threat quarterback who has dominated the gridiron in the country’s most football-obsessed state moving to the Plains in 2021.

Dematrius Davis could make us all forget about Stockton if he can fulfill the promise that his high school career is cultivating as we speak. After scoring seven touchdowns in a game this season–three through the air and the other four via his lightning-quick feet–Davis declared to the world that his size (he stands under six feet and weighs less than 200 pounds) won’t stop him from dominating the gridiron.

As Stockton grows into his own in the Peach State, he may have a legitimate peer on the Plains in “double-D”.

Davis is the silver lining Auburn football fans need to cling to today after seeing their foe from the “Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry” steal Bryan Harsin’s idea of robbing the Gamecocks football program of all of their best pieces.