Carson Beck's transfer from Georgia to Miami, much maligned at the time, ultimately proved quite successful. He returned from a UCL injury and led the Hurricanes to an appearance in the national championship game. The Canes ultimately fell short against Fernando Mendoza and undefeated Indiana, but the Hoosiers faced no greater challenge. Miami racked up wins over Texas A&M, Ole Miss and Ohio State on the College Football Playoff stage.
A three-year college starter and a two-time champ at UGA during his backup days, Beck has the pedigree and the statistical profile of a first-round talent. So why is the 23-year-old still tumbling on Day 2 of the NFL Draft?
UPDATE: The Arizona Cardinals drafted Beck with the first pick of the third round. That not only stops his fall but also has him landing somewhere he can win a starting job right out the gate.
Why Carson Beck continues to fall in NFL Draft
On the surface, Beck is an experienced, winning quarterback. He has experience with a couple successful programs and has led multiple deep postseason runs (or at least set them up, in the case of 2024). But 2024 is where the cracks really began to form.
Beck was awesome in 2023, his junior season. He led the SEC in completions (302) and passing yards (3,941), throwing 24 touchdowns to only six interceptions. UGA couldn't reach the mountaintop after back-to-back championship runs under Stetson Bennett, but Beck began to get talked about as a future first-round pick. There was a time when Beck going No. 1 overall did not feel out of the question.
Unfortunately, Beck doubled his interceptions (12) in 2024 and ultimately suffered a torn UCL in the SEC Championship Game. Gunnar Stockton took over, played well, and effectively won the job for 2025, forcing Beck to the portal.
Carson Beck's time at Miami was a success but didn't help his draft stock
He landed in Miami and, to his credit, Beck did more than enough to keep the Canes in contention. That said, the Canes' success was defense-oriented, with Beck serving as more of a point guard than a shooting guard, metaphorically speaking. His arm was noticeably weaker post-elbow surgery; there was a lot more slack on some of his passes over the middle. He threw another 12 interceptions. Beck is a smart, sharp player, but he takes risks — and last season, those risks were exacerbated by shaky accuracy and limited velocity.
So, that leaves Beck in a complicated position. Talent-wise, he's the real deal. He's more accomplished than other quarterbacks on the board. He's accustomed to the spotlight, poised in big moments. And yet, he's on the older side of things at 23, with a troubling injury history and questions about whether he can fully unlock the potential we all saw in Athens a couple of years ago.
Beck projects most comfortably as a solid, pitch-and-catch backup right now. If he lands in the right spot, with a patient development plan and a coach who's confident in his development, then maybe something more can come of things. Beck outperforming his draft position wouldn't be the least bit surprising. Just know there is real downside risk.
Which quarterbacks were drafted before Carson Beck?
We will keep this list updated as Beck's NFL Draft slide continues...
Player | School | Draft Pick | NFL Team |
|---|---|---|---|
Fernando Mendoza | Indiana | 1 | LV |
Ty Simpson | Alabama | 13 | LAR |
TBD... |
Mendoza at No. 1 overall to the Raiders was a given. He led the Hoosiers to a national championship, only after winning the Heisman Trophy and leading Indiana where that program has never gone before.
Less of a given was Ty Simpson to the Rams at No. 13. Overwhelming considered a reach, Simpson only has 15 college starts under his belt. He flashed major talent at Alabama last season, but the Tide flamed out in the CFP and Simpson's ability to navigate pressure is woefully unrefined. Thankfully for him, he gets to sit behind Matthew Stafford for a year (or several) and Sean McVay is his coach.