Carson Beck's spot in recent ESPN mock draft has Georgia fans scratching their heads

It's widely expected that Carson Beck will be selected in the upcoming NFL Draft, but recent mocks indicate that the former Georgia quarterback's stock has been rising over the past few weeks.

Matt Miller released his seven-round mock draft coming off of the past two weeks of Pro Day events. By Miller's projection, Beck would be the fifth quarterback selected and picked No. 65 overall to the Arizona Cardinals. That's the first pick in the third round.

Doesn't that seem a little high?

ESPN projects Carson Beck as a third-round draft pick

This is not going to be some hate post against Beck. I think Carson Beck was a solid college quarterback that won a lot of games. Beck led Georgia to an Orange Bowl and an SEC Championship, and he backed up Stetson Bennett on two national championship teams. He then transferred to Miami and was a big part of the Hurricanes getting to the CFP Championship Game, before throwing the interception that sealed the game for Indiana.

But is he a legitimate third-round pick? That's a second-day selection where NFL teams are still drafting players that they expect to start or become major rotational pieces. Beck is probably going to be a good backup quarterback in the NFL. He has a lot of experience, over 50 starts, but being an NFL starting quarterback is based around arm talent and Beck doesn't have the same arm he did 3–4 years ago.

He showed effects of the elbow ligament damage many times last season with the Hurricanes, especially late in games, when his arm just didn't have the mustard to deliver the ball downfield. But if Miller is onto something, Beck appears to be the next beneficiary of the NFL being a quarterback-driven league, and it could find him being selected well inside the top 100. That seems like a waste of a good draft pick for a General Manager that won't be long for his job.