There are good times to do things, but Carson Beck didn’t pick the right one. At least that’s the viewpoint of NFL Draft expert Todd McShay.
Beck decided to make himself eligible for the 2025 NFL Draft, But McShay, and others, said it’s too soon. McShay is right on target with this one.
“Carson Beck made a bad decision to leave early,” McShay said. “I talked to a bunch of guys in the league, GMs, former GMs, scouts. One scout wrote back to me. One-word answer: Foolish. I thought he got better late in the season. But I don’t think he’s there yet. He played great in certain moments. But he never this year played to the level many of us expected him to play to.”
Carson Beck’s problem? Consistency
In the NFL, consistency isn’t a hope. It’s a demand. That’s why a guy like the Colts’ Anthony Richardson can’t stay on the field. NFL teams have no patience for quarterbacks who can’t get the job done the vast majority of the time.
And there’s a good reason for their impatience. In a league with guys like Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, and Lamar Jackson, teams can’t win if their quarterback doesn’t play extremely well.
Beck turned in a nice year for the Bulldogs in 2023. He completed 72.4% of his passes for 3,941 yards with 24 touchdowns and six interceptions. But he experienced regression in 2024. His completion percentage dropped to 64.7. Also, while his touchdown total improved to 28, his interceptions doubled.
Beck’s performance against Alabama tells a story
Alabama jumped out to a 28-0 lead in that game. And even though the Bulldogs made a massive rally, they fell 41-34. If you look only at Beck’s final numbers, you see 439 yards and three touchdowns. That’s pretty good against Alabama, right? However, Beck completed only 27 of 50 passes and threw three interceptions.
Yes, the flashes of brilliance matter. But in the NFL, flashes don’t get the job done long term. Sure, some team will take a flier on him. But McShay said Beck would be better off building a better resume before testing the NFL waters.
“Why wouldn’t you take this time, rehab in the offseason?” McShay said. “Come back with a better supporting cast. They’ve got a lot of young wide receivers. I know they’ve recruited well at wide receiver, from what I can tell. Their offensive line will be better. They’ll be more balanced. Is he as ready as he would be, had he gone back for one more year at Georgia? My personal opinion is he’s not going to be.”
At least one NFL scout agreed, according to nytimes.com.
Lauren Merola wrote: “In November, an NFL scout who has spent two decades in the business and was granted anonymity to speak honestly about Beck’s draft trajectory told The Athletic that Beck was his top-rated QB coming into this season but that he was no longer his team’s top choice because of ‘the combination of the lack of mobility and the lack of poise.’ The scout called Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders ‘the cleanest’ quarterback in the draft.”
Beck’s lack of poise a big detriment for NFL career
NFL quarterbacks have to be poised above all else. Defensive coordinators are too savvy. Athletes are too good on the other side of the ball. Guys like Burrow, Allen, and Mahomes thrive on poise. That’s a ding Beck will have to work hard to overcome. It would be easier to prove it on the college level than as an NFL rookie.
Beck said he enjoyed his time at Georgia. The ride with the Bulldogs produced fun moments.
“The past five years at the University of Georgia have been nothing short of a dream come true and I will forever cherish the memories that have been made,” Beck said. “Thank you Dawg Nation for the time I’ve been here and to those who’ve supported and believed in me, thank you. It’s been an incredible journey and all these moments have ultimately led me to take the next step in my football career.”
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