Cardinals Carson Beck the Sleeper ROY
Bo Marchionte
Host · Writer
ESPN Projected Carson Beck as the No. 1 Overall Pick
Prior to going in the third-round to the Arizona Cardinals there is clear evidence that Carson Beck was viewed by major national outlets as the top quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft cycle before his stock later declined.
In May 2024, ESPN released an early 2025 mock draft in which Georgia quarterback Carson Beck was projected to be selected No. 1 overall by the New York Giants. That projection effectively positioned Beck as the premier quarterback in the class at that point in the evaluation process.
During the Bulldogs back-to-back championship seasons (2021-22), Stetson Bennett was the quarterback, with Beck taking over fulltime in 2023. Georgia was still considered one of the elite programs in the country and Beck was anointed the heir apparent.
Beck has size and college pedigree
In another article by 247Sports generated significant attention because Beck had just completed his first season as Georgia’s full-time starter and was widely praised for his size, accuracy, and command of the Bulldogs’ offense.
Beck stands at an impressive 6-foot-4 at 233 pounds, fitting the prototypical measurements NFL teams crave. Playing at elite programs and never failing to live up to expectations, Beck once again finds himself in the position to sneak into the starters job, sooner rather than later.
However, Beck was the first pick it happened to be at the beginning of the third round and not the first. The third overall quarterback selected behind only first round selections, Fernado Mendoza and Ty Simpson provides Beck an opportunity to play early in Arizona.
Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew are ranked one and two on the depth chart with Beck at number three. For a franchise effortlessly trying to rise change their fortunes, the leash will be short for both incumbents.
Quarterbacks Starts for Arizona Cardinals Since 2020
- Kyler Murray
- Colt McCoy
- David Blough
- Trace McSorley
- Joshua Dobbs
- Clayton Tune
- Jacoby Brissett
Arizona represents easy path to start
Arizona might be the one franchise a little gun shy to go round one again on another quarterback. In 2018, they moved up to the 10th overall pick to select Josh Rosen, who was such a bust they drafted Murray, with the first overall pick the following year in 2019,
It’s possible that the residue of Beck’s first round hype and the lack of any true long-term franchise option is listed at quarterback on the roster that he gets the nod early in the season.
Mendoza has about the same supporting cast around him and Kirk Cousins, whose name holds more substance than his actual abilities nowadays, was signed this off-season to help ease in the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Beck spent his final year at Miami after five seasons in Georgia. He helped lead the Hurricanes to the National Championship but fell short against the undefeated Indiana Hoosiers.
His college pedigree provides Beck with a unique opportunity to start early in Arizona. The Cardinals first round pick (third overall) Jeremiyah Love will be the workhorse for the Cardinals allowing Beck to manage the games, not win them.
That’s a huge benefit to earn reps, gain confidence in the moment.
Beck is positioned to thrive in the desert.
