Miami has been as impressive as any team in the nation so far in 2025. The Hurricanes are the second-ranked team in the country, with ranked victories over Notre Dame, South Florida, and Florida State. They look poised to win their first ACC title and be a serious contender in the College Football Playoff. Miami has several strengths on its roster, one of which is quarterback Carson Beck. Beck entered 2025 with huge shoes to fill, replacing Cam Ward under center for the Hurricanes. He’s living up to the hype so far, looking like one of the best quarterbacks in college football. Beck is among the top prospects at his position, but is he a first-round caliber prospect for the 2026 NFL Draft?
Beck was a four-star recruit coming out of Mandarin (Florida) and the fifth-ranked pro-style quarterback in the Class of 2020. He committed to Georgia, where he spent the first five seasons of his college career. After having no pass attempts as a true freshman, Beck saw his first collegiate action in 2021. He completed 10 of 23 passes for 176 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions as the Bulldogs won a national championship. Beck saw more action in 2022 and showed signs of improvement when he saw the field. He completed 26 of 35 passes for 310 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions as Georgia’s backup signal caller.
2023 gave Beck the long-awaited opportunity to be the starter, with Stetson Bennett off to the NFL. He looked like a seasoned veteran in his first season as a starter. Beck led the SEC with 3,941 passing yards, while completing 72.4% of his passes and throwing 24 touchdowns to six interceptions. It appeared that Beck was set to be a first-round pick in 2025, but that wasn’t the case. He regressed in 2024, with turnovers becoming more prevalent. While he completed 64.7% of his passes for 3,485 yards and 28 touchdowns, he led the conference with 12 interceptions. Beck’s 2024 ended with an elbow injury in the SEC Championship game, and he transferred to Miami for his final season of college football. Through five games, Beck has looked like the player from 2023. He has 1,213 passing yards, 11 passing touchdowns, and three interceptions while completing 73.4% of his throws.
The biggest strength in Beck’s game is his accuracy, as his high completion percentage suggests. He throws with great anticipation, hitting his targets in stride to maximize yardage after the catch. His accuracy is nuanced, putting the ball on the right shoulder of his receiver to throw them away from defensive leverage. Beck is an incredible intermediate thrower who attacks the middle of the field. Beck can beat defenses on all three levels, being a capable deep-ball passer. His frame is ideal for a pocket passer in the NFL, measuring in at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds.
Beck’s mobility leaves a lot to be desired. While he’s a decent athlete, he isn’t a player who routinely scares defenses with his legs. His arm strength is solid, but he doesn’t generate elite velocity on his throws. Beck also struggles with pressure, as there are times he forces bad throws when the pocket is collapsing.
Beck is an old-school quarterback prospect. He wins mostly from the pocket, and his best attributes are accuracy and anticipation. While his physical traits are far from the best in this class, he’s a refined passer who can operate an offense at a high level. Beck’s combination of size, accuracy, and exceptional intermediate passing is similar to that of Matt Ryan. His chances of succeeding at the next level are very dependent on his situation. Beck is excellent when he has a clean pocket, but mistakes begin to pop up when he’s under duress. If he lands with a franchise that can adequately protect him, he can be a quality starter in the NFL.
Beck currently projects as a late second-round pick or an early third-round selection. Several other top quarterback prospects have been underwhelming so far this season. If Beck continues at the pace he’s on in 2025, he can enter first-round discussions for 2026.
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