#18

Gunnar Watson

QB · Troy · Sr. · #18

All-Conf HMTroy 2023 alumnus
This season's coverage starts August 26 — check back once kickoff hits.

Gunnar Watson

QB · Troy · Sr · #18

Limited signal — not enough coverage for a story yet.

Career Arc

HS
Recruit
—
No recruit profile
CFB
College
Troy
2021–2023
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Not drafted

Trophy Case · Confirmed honors

What the selectors said

1 entries
🎖

ALL-CONFERENCE

All-Conf mention (2023)

All-Sun Belt

Coaching Lineage · 2021–2023

2 coaches
2021
2022
Jon Sumrall
Troy
era →
2023
Jon Sumrall
Troy

Coaching transition mid-career: Chip Lindsey → Jon Sumrall. Worth noting in scheme + development context.

2025 snapshot

Season context · Team result + system

2021Troy5-7HC: Chip Lindsey · Balanced
2022Troy12-2HC: Jon Sumrall · Run-leaning
2023Troy11-3HC: Jon Sumrall · Balanced

Awards

Trophy Case · Confirmed honors

What the selectors said

1 entries
🎖

ALL-CONFERENCE

All-Conf mention (2023)

All-Sun Belt

Career stats

SeasonTeam
2023Troy26743861.0%3,5578.1276146.8----
2022Troy20633561.5%2,8148.41412138.7----
2021Troy14022861.4%1,6137.184128.9----
Career6131,00161.2%7,9848.04922140.0----
SeasonTeam
2023Troy51-101-2.01--
2022Troy61-173-2.82--
2021Troy27-64-2.41--
Career139-338-2.44--

Signature game

SIGNATURE GAME · Week 13 · 2023

W 35–17

at Southern Miss

289 yds · 2 TD · 1 INT  ·  QBR 80.0  ·  -5 rush yds (3 car)

How he plays

Play style

Operates within the system without forcing anything.

CFB Index positional classification

DNA match

Player DNA

Pocket Passer

Balanced passer who operates within the system, without one standout number carrying the profile.

QB

His 2023 production profile sits closest to Ben Bryant’s 2022 season.

Ben Bryant

77%match

Cincinnati · 2022

#2

Matt McDonald

Bowling Green · 2022

65%
#3

Carter Bradley

South Alabama · 2023

All-Sun Belt
62%
#4

Quinn Ewers

Texas · 2022

NFL Rd 7
62%
#5

Taylor Powell

Eastern Michigan · 2022

60%

Matches Ben on

Height
Completion %

Differs from Ben on

EPA / dropback (adj) (lower)
INT rate (lower)
Weight (lower)
Based on 11 features · 2 seasons in pool · Opponent-adjusted weighted z-score distance

Through 4 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Hudson Card’s path through Purdue.

Hudson Card

96%match

Purdue · 2024

#2

Seth Henigan

Memphis · 2024

All-AAC
91%
#3

Jeremy Moussa

Florida A&M · 2023

91%
#4

Gerry Bohannon

South Florida · 2022

88%
#5

Ben Wooldridge

Louisiana · 2024

All-Sun Belt
88%

Matches Hudson on

Height
Yards per attempt
Completion %
2020202120222023
Career-aggregate opponent-adjusted stats · physical traits

As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Behren Morton's senior season at Texas Tech (2024).

Behren Morton

66%match

Texas Tech · 2024

NFL Rd 7
#2

Sawyer Robertson

Baylor · 2025

63%
#3

Carter Bradley

South Alabama · 2023

All-Sun Belt
58%
#4

Seth Henigan

Memphis · 2024

All-AAC
52%
#5

Connor Bazelak

Bowling Green · 2023

All-MAC
50%

Matches Behren on

Yards / attempt
Height

Differs from Behren on

Completion % (lower)
Weight (lower)
Rush yards / carry (lower)
Opponent-adjusted stats · senior cohort across all seasons

Player DNA

Players who play like Gunnar Watson

#1

Hudson Card

Texas · 2021

96%
#2

Seth Henigan

Memphis · 2021

91%
#3

Conner Weigman

Texas A&M · 2022

88%
#4

Carlos Del Rio-Wilson

Marshall · 2025

88%
#5

Ryan Browne

Purdue · 2025

87%

Heisman trajectory

Final Heisman Position · 2023

#19

Heisman top-25 (#19) · finalist probability 0%.

Development

Development Trajectory · passing yards

2021–2023
1,6132021
2,8142022
3,5572023

+121%

Up 121% from first season to most-recent.