The battle to be the second quarterback picked in the 2026 NFL Draft after Fernando Mendoza has intensified following the NFL Scouting Combine, as several candidates have surfaced. These include Alabama’s Ty Simpson, LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, Arkansas’ Taylen Green, Penn State’s Drew Allar, and Miami’s Carson Beck.
Over the past few weeks, Simpson has been the favorite for QB2, but Georgia transfer and national championship runner-up Beck is gaining ground. The endorsement from former NFL champion coach Jon Gruden could push him even closer.
Jon Gruden Endorses Carson Beck After ‘QB Class’ Session
Gruden, who led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to their first NFL championship in Super Bowl XXXVII, hosted Beck in one of his quarterback development sessions as part of his “QB Class” platform, and the veteran head coach gave the Miami Hurricanes signal-caller a seal of approval.
Gruden praised Beck on social media after their session together, calling the 6-5 quarterback a talented passer with strong physical tools and a sharp football mind.
Beck transferred to Miami in 2025 after five seasons with Georgia and helped lead the Hurricanes to the College Football Playoff as the No. 10 seed. The quarterback defied the odds by defeating No. 7 Texas A&M, No. 2 Ohio State, and No. 6 Ole Miss to reach the national championship game and face Mendoza and the No. 1 seed Indiana Hoosiers.
Beck stood his ground against Mendoza and the tough Hoosiers, completing 19 of 32 passes for 232 yards with one touchdown and one interception. However, his effort was not enough, as Indiana finished the season undefeated with a 27-21 victory and claimed the national title.
Beck’s 2025 Season Numbers
The Jacksonville, Florida, native completed 72.4% of his passes and threw for 3,813 yards with 30 touchdowns and 12 interceptions this past season. PFSN ranked Beck as the 36th-best quarterback on its QB Impact list with an 83.3 rating.
NFL analyst Lance Zierlein also praised the Miami quarterback for his maturity and significantly better decision-making, which helped him during the College Football Playoff. He has faced challenges before, including an elbow injury that required surgery in 2024. Zierlein sees Beck as a backup who could become a starter later in his career, but he needs to be consistent and accurate with his passes once he enters the NFL.
Where Beck Lands in Mock Drafts
PFSN analyst Ian Cummings predicted that Beck would be selected by the Arizona Cardinals as their seventh-round pick, 218th overall, in his latest mock draft. Cummings ranked Beck as the 10th quarterback to be chosen in his mock draft, just behind Jack Strand of Minnesota State-Moorhead.
Other quarterbacks ranked higher in Cummings’ projections included UConn’s Joe Fagnano, Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, Allar, North Dakota State’s Cole Payton, Nussmeier, Green, and Simpson.
RELATED: PFSN’s CFP Transfer Portal Tracker
Teams will be compelled to consider drafting Beck higher due to his championship experience and his improved performance with the Miami Hurricanes. However, there is another aspect of him that could turn teams away, as he tends to be inconsistent with his passes.
These clubs still have over a month to decide whether Beck will be the second quarterback chosen in the 2026 NFL Draft ahead of Simpson, or whether he will drop further in the rankings and become a late pick.
