Do a random Google search and pull up the Heisman odds, and you won’t find Carson Beck’s name anywhere, not even in the top ten. In fact, the QB is not even touted to be a first-round pick now. Take, for example, ESPN’s Jordan Reid’s early chances of the 2026 NFL draft, where he puts LaNorris Sellers to be the first pick, but Beck’s name is nowhere in 32. So, does that make chances grim for the guy? To be honest, does all of this matter? For Carson Beck, the season is wide open, and the guy is embracing that fact on ACC Media Day.

Even before Carson Beck arrived at Georgia, all hell broke loose with rumors that Mario Cristobal was making a big gamble by bringing Beck on a reported $4 million NIL deal. The concerns, although valid at the time due to some injury concerns to his throwing arm, carried on even when he started throwing at the end of the spring practices. The same concerns that have led Carson Beck to now clear the air around every possible doubt. And the confidence? It was dripping from his stylish attire.

Carson Beck appeared at the ACC Media Day and stood calmly as he tackled a barrage of questions ranging from the doubts raised about him to his injury. One such question was if the former Georgia QB could live up to his hype, considering Cam Ward set the bar quite high last year.“Do you feel any pressure following Cam Ward?” asked the reporter. Beck’s response? Pure conviction. With a ripe smile on his face, Beck bluntly said, “Not really,” and went on to provide his reasons.

“I don’t know the kid. What he was able to do is undeniable,” said Carson Beck about Cam Ward and laid out his past Georgia legacy in front of the media. “The last school I was at, I followed up to a two-time national champion, and so I really didn’t feel any pressure there. So, it’s just it’s a game, man. I played football my whole life. play quarterback since I was seven years old, and it’s something that I love to do,” declared Carson Beck. And the guy is spot on here!

For him to perform under Kirby Smart’s Georgia was a momentous feat since the job is probably one of the most demanding in the whole of college football. The expectations? They were always sky high, and yet Carson Beck delivered. Take, for instance, his 2023 season, where Beck produced 3,941 passing yards and 116 rushing yards. Even last year, when his performances were questioned due to dropped efficiency, he led the Dawgs to the SEC championships when UGA’s receivers were dropping passes all year as they led the country in drops. Despite all of these facts, analysts and pundits still don’t look confident in him.

Can Carson Beck rise above the analysts’ harsh verdicts?

The major reservations about Carson Beck’s success stem from the fact that the player is new in Mario Cristobal’s setup. Moreover, it’s also true that Beck hadn’t thrown in the spring and was recovering from his injury. NFL draft analyst Todd McShay also expressed some similar doubts, but also echoed concerns from Beck’s personal life.

“Do you trust the guy? If this guy was that good, and more importantly, if they trusted him and they loved the guy… and it was about the team, and about the guys in his huddle, the guys in the locker room… You’re telling me the Dawgs wouldn’t have come up with the money and made sure that this was the No. 1 priority?” said McShay.

Carson Beck can defy all these expectations just like Rourke did last year. Kurtis Rourke, last season, when he tore his ACL and transferred to Indiana, similar issues were highlighted. But when you look at his 2024 season, it was a tale of resilience and proving people wrong as he played with a torn ACL throughout the season. Even then, the QB led the Hoosiers to a 10-0 start and completed 3,042 yards. So, Carson Beck’s talent is a notch above Rourke’s, and with hard work, the guy could easily prove everyone wrong.