Former Miami Hurricanes quarterback Carson Beck is one of the most polarizing prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft class. Despite reviving his career in Coral Gables after transferring from the Georgia Bulldogs, Beck finished his college football career on a sour note, throwing a game-ending interception in the national championship game against the Indiana Hoosiers.
Beck is among a host of quarterbacks fighting to be picked after consensus first-round picks, former Indiana star Fernando Mendoza and ex-Alabama signal-caller Ty Simpson.
Mike Mayock Issues “Buyer Beware” Warning on Carson Beck
In an interview with Betway Insider last week, NFL Draft guru Mike Mayock, who served as the Las Vegas Raiders’ general manager from 2019 to 2021, spoke about Beck’s regression after showing initial promise at Georgia.
“Carson Beck. Three years ago, when he was at Georgia, I remember at the end of my report I said that if this kid develops to another level next year, he’s the first pick in the draft,” Mayock said. “So I loved his traits, I loved the ball location, arm strength, athletic ability, size, all of it. And he regressed the next year.
“To the point where both Georgia and Carson Beck said they’re better off without each other.”
Beck won two national championships during his career in Athens, although both came as a backup to Stetson Bennett. When he finally took over the Bulldogs’ QB1 reins, he tumbled from a preseason Heisman Trophy favorite to a divisive figure among college football fans and analysts.
The quarterback’s game was riddled with mistakes, and in his final season in Athens, he tossed 12 interceptions before tearing his ulnar collateral ligament in the 2024 SEC Championship Game against the Texas Longhorns. The injury caused him to miss Georgia’s College Football Playoff run.
Beck joined coach Mario Cristobal’s Hurricanes, where he repaired his tattered reputation and led Miami on a College Football Playoff run that culminated in a national championship game appearance.
During his interview, Mayock further detailed his current assessment of Beck vis-à-vis the projected No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft class, Indiana’s Mendoza.
“He goes to Miami and, to his credit, plays in a championship game,” Mayock said. “But you look at the positivity of Mendoza’s nervous system, and I look at Carson Beck the opposite way. The way I ended my report this year on him after a bunch of stuff was basically ‘buyer beware’. In key situations, I can’t trust this kid.”
In his final season of college football, Beck earned a PFSN College QB Impact score of 83.3 after managing 3,813 passing yards, 30 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He added 43 rushing yards and two touchdowns for the Hurricanes.
