Leaving Georgia may not have helped Carson Beck's draft value as a quarterback, at least according to ESPN. The sports leader has Beck ranked behind eight other quarterbacks, including Clemson's Cade Klubnik, Florida's DJ Lagway, and Texas's Arch Manning.
Whether it was the season-ending arm injury or his increase in interceptions and dropped passes last season with Georgia, the University of Miami quarterback is apparently up to full strength for the 2025 season. But with eight other elite quarterbacks ranked ahead of him, is he really being considered a next level offensive leader?
Georgia has moved on in their quarterback room, with Gunner Stockton and Ryan Puglisi competing for the starting spot, and Beck faces an open season to try and prove he has recovered and is worth some of the preseason hype that has been coming his way.
Carson Beck: Forgotten quarterback or Heisman finalist?
While ESPN ranks Beck fairly low among other quarterbacks, Sports Illustrated is touting him as a Heisman finalist. At 6'4" and weighing 220 pounds, Beck certainly has the look of a Heisman quarterback. But how much of that hype is based on what he did at Georgia, instead of what he can actually do at Miami?
Beck was a preseason favorite in 2024 to win the Heisman, but he dropped out of the race quickly as his increasing interceptions and dropped passes exposed some weaknesses in his overall game. Instead of heading to the NFL Draft as he was predicted to do at the start of the season, Beck instead chose to leave Georgia and hit the Transfer Portal to Miami and a million dollar NIL deal.
Given what is known now, Beck's ranking at #29 in the Top 100 is likely on point, but time will tell if ESPN is accurate or just underestimating him.