The Southeastern Conference enters the 2026 season with perhaps the most varied collection of quarterbacks in recent memory, blending proven starters with a wave of transfers who have already made splashes across the league.
The Athletic’s latest rankings, however, have drawn attention for the conspicuous absence of two names that many expected to see among the elite: Georgia’s Gunner Stockton and Oklahoma’s John Mateer.
Stockton’s 2025 campaign was nothing short of impressive; he amassed 2,804 passing yards, 24 touchdowns and only five interceptions while adding 462 rushing yards and ten scores on the ground.
Yet the publication chose to keep him out of the top tier, a decision that has sparked debate about how much his production can be isolated from Georgia’s overall talent depth and the coaching philosophy of Kirby Smart.
John Mateer, meanwhile, posted a stellar 2024 season at Washington State, throwing for 3,139 yards, 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions, but his move to the SEC brings new defensive schemes and a lingering thumb injury that has yet to be fully resolved.
Analysts note that Oklahoma’s late‑season surge was as much a product of a dominant defense and special‑teams play as it was Mateer’s arm, leaving observers to wonder whether his full health will translate into the same level of impact in the conference.
Evaluating the Rankings
The controversy underscores a broader conversation about how evaluators balance raw statistics with contextual factors such as roster composition, injury risk and conference transition, a conversation that will likely shape preseason discussions for months to come.