Carson Beck is that college football player who has decided to stay around and not leave. However, that will change Monday night when the Miami Hurricanes meet the Indiana Hoosiers for the national championship in Miami. Beck has played sensational football in the College Football Playoff for head coach Mario Cristobal and was at his best in the final 3-plus minutes of the Fiesta Bowl against Mississippi.
Beck directed the Hurricanes on a 15-play, 75-yard drive that culminated in the game-winning touchdown with just seconds remaining. There was enough time left for Ole Miss to give Miami a scare, but that’s it. Beck came through with a sensational performance when the lights were brightest and the heat was on.
This alone should have scouts drooling about his future in the NFL, but a label has already been established about the five-season Georgia quarterback who transferred to Miami for his final season. He is not looked at as a first-round draft choice and he may not even be a starting quarterback.
Beck has chance to raise his NFL Draft profile
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ESPN’s Draft maven Mel Kiper Jr. has suggested that Beck looks like a backup quarterback and that may be his best role at the next level. However, his ability to make magical throws when the game is on the line could change that status.
Caleb Williams was the No. 1 draft choice in 2024 and he had multiple flaws in his game as he came out of USC. He had flashes as a rookie with the Chicago Bears but he struggled to put wins on the board.
He has been able to work with Ben Johnson in his second year, and the Bears are hosting a game in the divisional playoffs. His ability to come through in the most important moments is the biggest reason for his team’s success.
That is the same as Beck. He does not have the fastball of Williams, but he can raise his draft status with a winning performance against Indiana.
During the drive, Beck made the big plays at the end. He hit star Malachi Toney with a key pass and then completed passes of 17 and 11 yards to Keelan Marion to bring the Hurricanes to the Ole Miss 8. Two plays later, Beck sensed an opening on the left side and ran 3 yards for the winning touchdown.
Cristobal was not surprised to see Beck and his teammates come up with their best football when the game was on the line.
“Tribute to him, testament to him and his teammates,” Cristobal said. “So many different things on that drive that were executed at a high level. We just felt that that game, it just meant more to our guys, and they were going to find a way to get it done.”
Beck has key attributes that can make him a solid pro
The 6-4, 225-pound Beck moves well enough in the pocket and is not easy to bring down. He is not a speedster when he runs, but he is not going to go down as a result of an arm tackle.
The Miami quarterback has shown off his durability in the least three seasons, playing 14 games for Georgia in 2023, 13 in 2024 and 15 with one more to go for the Hurricanes this year.
He is clearly an accurate passer as he has completed 319 of 435 passes for 3,581 yards along with 29 TDs and 11 interceptions. His 73.3 completion percentage cannot be overlooked even if he does not have a cannon for an arm.
His ability to come through when the game is on the line demonstrates the leadership ability he has on the sidelines, in the huddle and when he has the ball in his hands.
While those attributes are quite desirable, he is going to have to cut down on his interceptions. He threw 11 picks in the 2024-25 season and he has thrown 12 more to this point. While he does not simply lock on to receivers, he has enough tells for opposing defensive coordinators to get a read on him and understand where he wants to go with the ball. That’s why his interception total is high.
He has to disguise those tells at the next level.
A winning performance against a talented, disciplined and experienced Indiana team will clearly improve his draft status. Carson Beck looks like a medium-to-high second-round choice if the Hurricanes come up with the upset and he performs well when the game is on the line. That’s a big jump from being a late Day 2 or early Day 3 selection.
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