2026 NFL Draft: Carson Beck goes to Arizona Cardinals with 1st pick of 3rd round

Carson Beck had many of the traits that fit a typical first-round quarterback in the NFL Draft.

Beck has great size and arm strength. He won a lot of games at not just Georgia, but then transferred to Miami and took the Hurricanes to the College Football Playoff championship game. But the first-round buzz, which was growing after the 2023 and again after the 2024 seasons, died down before Beck was actually in the draft.

Beck was selected by the Arizona Cardinals with the 65th overall pick, the first pick of the third round, on Friday night.

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Beck had an unusual career, which spanned six seasons. He took over as the starter for Georgia in 2023 and the Bulldogs went 13-1 with Beck completing a school record 72.4% of his passes. He came back to school and the Bulldogs went 11-3, though Beck’s efficiency dipped and his interceptions rose. Beck, dealing with a UCL injury in his throwing elbow that required surgery, passed on entering the NFL Draft again and made the surprising decision to transfer to Miami.

Carson Beck had a fantastic college resume before entering the NFL Draft. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

(Stacy Revere via Getty Images)

Beck had a good final season with Miami, again completing 72.4% of his passes while throwing for a career best 30 touchdowns. The Hurricanes fell short to Fernando Mendoza and Indiana in the national championship game.