Assessing Georgia's 2024 Quarterback Situation Following the Elite 11
The quarterback is arguably one of the most important positions in all of American sports. Lackluster play or an injury to a team's signal caller can derail an entire season. While at the same time, elite play can elevate an average team to championship status. The Georgia Bulldogs have been beneficiaries of highly talented quarterback play as of late. And with the Bulldogs' current 2024 recruiting class, (which currently holds commitments from 4-star Ryan Puglisi and 5-star Dylan Raiola), Georgia should be expecting elite quarterback play for many years to come.
But though, the prospect of two blue-chip quarterbacks in the same class is certainly exciting and both Raiola and Puglisi certainly seem to be "as advertised" following the events of this year's Elite 11. Things in the Bulldogs' quarterback room are shaping out to become quite interesting in 2024. Here is a full list of what the Bulldogs' quarterback room could potentially look like come the 2024 season.
Carson Beck
While the likelihood of Carson Beck returning for another college season is outstandingly small, he still would have not only a redshirt year of eligibility left, he would have a second year following the 2024 season due to the 2020 COVID season not counting towards eligibility. Should Beck for some reason choose to remain with the Dawgs in 2024, it is likely that we would see a handful of transfer portal entries from the quarterback position.
Brock Vandagriff
The anticipation of Raiola and Puglisi joining the roster in 2024 has somewhat placed veteran Brock Vandagriff in the background of the public. In fact, many forget that heading into the spring of 2023, the possibility of Vandagriff earning the starting role had gained tons of traction. However after the Bulldogs' Spring game, many anticipated that the former 4-star would transfer elsewhere. Despite the rumors, Vandagriff remained with Georgia. Setting him up as one of the frontrunners to take the reigns of Mike Bobo's offense in 2024.
He's set to receive plenty of mop-up duty this fall if he doesn't ultimately win the job, and considering Carson Beck's path before him, Vandagriff could very well wait around for his opportunity to be "they guy" in Athens in '24.
Gunner Stockton
As one of the youngest Bulldogs currently on Georgia's roster, Gunner Stockton showed flashes of his potential in Georgia's Spring game. Stockton likely won't play a ton of meaningful snaps this upcoming season. But a year of learning under whoever starts for Georgia in 2023 will give Stockton an excellent chance at earning the starting position in 2024.
Dylan Raiola
As the nation's No.1 ranked quarterback in the class of 2024, Raiola's commitment has come with plenty of deserved hype. His addition to the Bulldogs' 2024 class has also provided the Dawgs a ton of momentum on the recruiting trail. While the quarterback is immensely talented and full of potential. The Bulldogs stacked quarterback room (which will have its share of veterans) will likely keep him from starting during his freshman season.
Ryan Puglisi
As the first of the two quarterbacks to join Georgia's 2024 class, Ryan Puglisi has demonstrated that he has a plethora of skills and a top-notch work ethic that show he is more than capable of being a quarterback at the University of Georgia. His choice to remain committed to the Bulldogs after the announcement that Dylan Raiola would be in the class as well only confirms this, though it will certainly be an uphill battle to see the field in 2024. Puglisi has made it abundantly clear he is ready for the competition.
Scheduling releases and conference realignments have already begun to draw attention to the Bulldogs' immediate future. And the addition of not one, but possibly two immensely talented quarterbacks could feed into Georgia's spotlight in the near future even more. While it is uncertain what the Bulldogs' quarterback room will look like come 2024, one thing remains certain. Kirby Smart and company have more than enough time and resources to figure it out.
Other Georgia News:
- BREAKING: Georgia's 2024 Schedule has Been Released
- Elite 11 Finals Preview: Who's Going to Win?
- Kirby Smart, NIL and Transfer Portal Make it "Excruciating" on Coaches
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