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QB Carson Beck's Stock Reportedly Rising Ahead of 2026 NFL Draft
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- QB Carson Beck's Stock Reportedly Rising Ahead of 2026 NFL Draft
Carson Beck may just become the most interesting name in the 2026 NFL Draft quarterback conversation soon. Heading into the draft in Pittsburgh , the general expectation around the league is that only two quarterbacks will come off the board in the first round, and some believe it could be just one.
Fernando Mendoza is the consensus pick to go No. 1 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders . Ty Simpson has been floated as a late first-round possibility, though opinion on that is split. Beck, however, has been quietly building a case of his own during the pre-draft process, and people inside the league have taken notice.
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NFL Network's Tom Pelissero brought up Beck's rising stock during an appearance on "The Rich Eisen Show." He pointed out that a second-round selection feels likely, but the current draft landscape leaves room for movement.
"The quarterback who's gonna go higher than every projection has had him in this process, I believe, is Carson Beck ," Pelissero said. "Carson Beck has impressed people in the process. When he's meeting with coaches, he comes across, as one scout put it to me, as a beautiful mind, in terms of his football IQ. He knows exactly what's going on on the football field ."
It hasn't been about highlight-reel workouts. Beck has made his impression in meeting rooms, and that matters to teams evaluating quarterbacks at this level.
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"There's at least a non-trivial chance. Again, based on the fact that everybody in the back half of the first round is going to have a second-round grade. I would not 100% rule out the idea of Carson Beck somehow finding his way into the bottom of Round 1," Pelissero added.
Part of what separates Beck from Simpson in these conversations is scheme fit. Beck brings more offensive versatility, particularly in systems built around size, structure and pre-snap processing.
Miami Hurricanes quarterback Carson Beck reacts after winning the 2026 Fiesta Bowl and semifinal game of the College Football Playoff.Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
Beck started 13 games for the Georgia Bulldogs in 2024, completing 290-of-448 passes for 3,485 yards, 28 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. His season ended early when he tore his UCL in the SEC Championship Game, which ruled him out of the College Football Playoff.
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He initially entered the draft before choosing to transfer to the Miami Hurricanes . In 2025, he started all 16 games and elevated his game significantly, completing 338-of-467 passes for 3,813 yards, 30 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while earning third-team All-ACC honors.
The draft is still weeks away, but Beck's arrow is pointing up.
Related: Cowboys Rumored for Massive Trade Up Into Top 3 of 2026 NFL Draft
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Apr 22, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
