The Arizona Cardinals' selection of QB Carson Beck has sparked renewed debate among fans about their team's drafting abilities. A recent poll revealed that 37% of Seattle Seahawks fans believe they could draft better than their team.
Key points
Arizona Cardinals selected QB Carson Beck
Poll shows 37% of Seahawks fans believe they can draft better
John Schneider has been Seahawks GM since 2010
Fan delusion about drafting abilities is highlighted
Mentioned in this story
John Schneider
Carson BeckArizona CardinalsSeattle Seahawks
Arizona Cardinals' selection of QB Carson Beck lights a fuse ... again
There was a recent poll circulated on social media that asked fans if they believed they could draft better than their favorite team.
The results were stunning, but actually not surprising when acknowledging the level of delusion that exists.
The best example is that 37 percent of Seattle Seahawks fans claimed they could do a better job evaluating talent. Yes, the Seahawks. The recent Super Bowl winner that has been led by one of the best general managers in the sport, John Schneider, who has been at his job since 2010.
Which brings us to the Arizona Cardinals, whose fanbase understandably hasn’t had much faith in the decision-makers for many decades, dating back to their days in St. Louis.
Thus, the loud critics were out in force after the Cardinals selected quarterback Carson Beck with the first pick of the third round on Friday.
One reality is they might be right. Another is that no one truly knows what the future holds. Yet another is that Mike LaFleur was hired as head coach for his offensive acumen, so it’s best at this point to trust his judgment.
General manager Monti Ossenfort did the talking early in the media briefing after the pick, saying, “We spent a lot of time with Carson. We met with him at the Combine. Brought him in on a 30 visit. There was no shortage of tape to evaluate on Carson. Carson's played a lot of ball. Banked a lot of reps. Carson played a lot in big-game environments. Played in a lot of intense environments in the SEC, those stadiums, those loud screaming, wild, rabid fans of the SEC.
“And then, the highest stage that he could play on in the national championship this year, all those playoff games. I think a lot of things sold us on Carson and we’re excited to add him to our room.”
Beck also discussed the big games he’s played in and having 43 starts during his college career.
“I think that will really help as I head into this next level,” he said. “Obviously, it’s super different and I’ve got to put my nose to the grindstone and work and that’s something that I’ve always done and something that I’ll continue to do and make sure that I have the right approach. I think that experience really helps me, but again we’re starting from scratch, we’re starting brand new and I’m ready for this opportunity.”
Q&A
What did the recent poll about NFL fans reveal?
The poll showed that 37% of Seattle Seahawks fans think they could draft better than their team.
Who is Carson Beck and why is his selection significant?
Carson Beck is a quarterback selected by the Arizona Cardinals, and his selection has reignited discussions about team drafting strategies.
How long has John Schneider been the general manager of the Seahawks?
John Schneider has been the general manager of the Seattle Seahawks since 2010.
What impact does fan perception have on NFL team management?
Fan perception can influence team management decisions and highlight the disconnect between fans and professional talent evaluators.
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Ossenfort was present for Miami’s semifinal win over Ole Miss at State Farm Stadium when Beck completed 23 of 37 passes for 268 yards and two touchdowns.
Ossenfort noted how Beck was able to “answer the bell, lead his team.” He added, “Carson’s been productive the whole step of his career at different spots, and that game was no different.”
In addition to his experience, Ossenfort said, “He's big, he's tough, he's strong, he stands strong in the pocket, not afraid to take a hit in the pocket. He's got good arm strength. He can drive the ball down the field. Good accuracy, good production. Those are all things that we like.”
Beck was asked what he views as his strengths and said, “I think the mental side of the game is my strength. Just from a processing standpoint, to being able to win from pre-snap and understanding the guys that you have around you. I'm not going to kill anybody with my legs. I'll be able to make plays when I need to, but when you have so much talent around you, being able to utilize that talent and getting the ball in their hands is really the most important thing as a quarterback. And I feel like that's something I've been able to do well over my years in college and hopefully something that I continue to do at the next level.”
When Ossenfort was asked about some struggles Beck had last season when pressured and why that was supposedly “overlooked,” he said, “Listen; we look at everything with the player. A lot has been made (of that), but we look at the tape and we evaluate him and his performance and the guy's performed. The guy's won a lot of games and we’re excited to add him.”
When a question was finally directed to LaFleur about what stood out about Beck, he said, “I think a lot of the things that Monti was just saying. He's a big solid dude, right? I mean, he's 6-4, he's 235 pounds. I mean, he looks the part, right? And that doesn't mean that that's the end-all, be-all by any means. Natural thrower like he was just saying. He's tough. I think one of the coolest things about him, especially spending some time with him; he's been through those big games, but he's been through some adversity, too, and that's well documented. It's out there.
“And I think he's gotten better from it. I wasn't there through that journey through the last few years, but just being able to get to know him and really spend some time; I really enjoyed my time with him. I know Monti did as well. I know our building did. So, there's a lot of cool things that we're excited about working with him.”
Ossenfort was then asked how much a part of the evaluation is that big-game experience.
He said, “When you see a player who has had big-game experience, you know when they make this transition to the NFL, there's more hope that it's not going to be too big for him. So, it's not going to be (like) a deer in the headlights. They go into hostile environments and so I think that's always good. I mean, the NFL, there's no bigger stage and so I think the transition is a little bit smoother for them.”
LaFleur also believes Beck’s specific experience will help him with the scheme.
“It's cool because you can evaluate his tape at Georgia and Miami, all the things that we've been talking about, the big-game experience, all those kind of things. But he's run what you would say ‘quote, unquote’ is an NFL-style system. You watch the Miami national championship game and you have to see him clicking through progressions against a really good defense in Indiana. It's nothing against any other quarterbacks. It's just he was given the opportunity to kind of be in more of a similar system as to what most NFL offenses do.”
Beck likes what he has experienced so far with LaFleur, saying, “Just very calm, cool, collected. He seemed like a competitor. Someone that is a fierce competitor but also a team guy. (He) seemed very relational, something that it sounded like he stood on and again just talking ball with him you can just tell the football knowledge. And obviously that’s what I love.
“I’ve played football for a long time and getting around guys that really understand the game and really care about their guys is really important to me. It was really cool to have that visit, get to meet them and now ultimately have this opportunity.”
What he does with that opportunity will determine what it looks like a few years from now, not what anyone says minutes after the choice.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
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Arizona Cardinals' selection of QB Carson Beck lights a fuse ... again
