“Carson Beck made a calculated decision when he removed himself from the 2025 NFL draft and decided another year in college was best for him”. When Brad Crawford of 247 Sports said this after Carson Beck’s transfer, it wasn’t just ‘another’ prediction; it was akin to peering directly into a magic ball and seeing Beck’s future. Undoubtedly, there was a lot to prove after Carson Beck’s downgrade in the 2024 season. He was 290-of-448, passing for 3,485 yards and 28 TDs in 2024. The numbers ain’t terrible, but his interception rate nearly doubled from 1.4% in 2023 (6 interceptions) to 2.7% in 2024 (12 interceptions). Moreover, his injury against Texas last year complicated the calculations even more. Then there were personal issues involving his girlfriend, which further tagged him as ‘distracted’. But, it was always going to be the first instinct for Beck to play with a chip on his shoulder. But no one had thought Beck had an entirely different plan altogether, all this time.

Which quarterback do you think has the most probability of being the first pick in the 2026 NFL draft? The answers could range from Cade Klubnik to Drew Allar to Arch Manning. Jordan Reid of ESPN released his way-too-early rankings, and some of the similar names were there in the top 5. Cade Klubnik was there as the first choice, followed by LaNorris Sellers of South Carolina, Garrett Nussmeier of LSU as third, and Drew Allar being the 4th choice. Notice there’s no Carson Beck in this list, and most of the rankings you will find will probably not have Carson Beck’s name, not even in the top 5. But Beck is adamant about changing this pre-destination.

A prominent college football Instagram account, ‘nflrookiewatch’, recently posted that Carson Beck is reportedly looking to step into Cam Ward’s shoes and be the first pick in the 2026 NFL draft. “Carson Beck is reportedly ‘attempting’ to follow the Cam Ward fast track to becoming the first overall pick. Beck has reportedly made it an ‘internal goal’ to make the most of his time in Miami and increase his draft stock into the Top-5 picks. Several NFL scouts reportedly believe Beck ‘has the same tools’ Ward put on display in Miami to propel himself to the first overall pick.” What does all of this signify?

It essentially says that Beck’s ultimate goal in coming to Miami wasn’t the $4 million tag or the reported proximity to his then-girlfriend. But it was more focused on his college football career, which would likely propel him towards NFL glory. Beck sure has the talent to do that since we saw him doing wonders for Georgia in the 2023 season, with 302-of-417 passing for 3,941 yards and 24 TDs with six interceptions.

Moreover, in Miami, the guy also has the ‘tools’ to do that, too. Miami Hurricanes probably have the best O-line in the country right now, with 6’3″ and 295 lbs beast James Brockermeyer at the center. Furthermore, the guards and tackle positions have key returners like Markel Bell and Ryan Rodriguez. So, Miami’s O-line will give top-notch protection to Beck, unlike Georgia last year. However, Beck’s 1st pick goal is too ‘unrealistic’ and even ‘ridiculous’ if fans are to be believed.

Fans unimpressed by Carson Beck?

Reacting to the post shared by ‘nflrookiewatch’, several users started commenting on the major revelation and declared the QB to focus more on the game than the end result at Miami. While many comments were positive too, a vast majority of them echoed similar concerns regarding Beck’s ‘unrealistic’ targets. One of the users berated Beck for even thinking about it and came out with a harsh take.

“Unless I developed early onset Alzheimer’s, there’s no way Beck has the same tools as Ward”. While another lambasted Beck to focus on a grander scheme of the draft than just 5 picks. “-500% chance lmao focus on the top 5 rounds”. If we have any lessons from this draft, then being in the hype market doesn’t necessarily translate to a draft pick.

Since Shedeur Sanders had hype and made headlines every single day, the same thing probably became an obstacle for teams to draft him. Otherwise, a player with quality like Shedeur should have gone in at least 2 rounds. One of the users also said a similar thing about Beck and how he got the measurable to be the QB1 in the draft, but attached it with a grim caveat.

“This is the first QB who will scream he has all the measurables… but I know his mental game is LOWWWW“. While another user picked Arch Manning and Drew Allar to be the top QBs in the 2026 draft. “Lol, not with Arch and Allar coming out“.  All in all, the QB is an incredibly talented player with top release speed and phenomenal long passing capability. Moreover, his ability to place those passes accurately for the receivers is a rare talent, and his functioning in crowded pockets is also commendable.

Still, the concerns of the injury and the past season remain, and that is why one of the users simply said, “Hahaha, he’s ok, I guess, but not a top 5 QB“. Now it is the onus on Beck to prove everyone wrong and finally make his dream come true.