Carson Beck Emerges as Dark Horse First Round Pick in 2026 NFL Draft

The former Georgia and Miami quarterback has generated surprising momentum with top team visits ahead of the draft.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 4:49am

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The 2026 NFL Draft is approaching, and teams are finalizing their draft boards. One name that has started to gain surprising momentum is Carson Beck, the former Georgia Bulldog and Miami Hurricane quarterback. Beck has logged three known or reported Top-30 visits, meeting with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Arizona Cardinals, and Miami Dolphins, despite concerns over his arm strength and injury history.

Why it matters

Beck was once considered a potential Heisman favorite and first-round pick, but his up-and-down 2025 season at Miami revealed flaws in his game. However, his recent visits with teams that appear to have long-term answers at quarterback suggest he could be a dark horse first-round selection, similar to how Tyler Shough surged late in the draft process despite injury concerns.

The details

Beck entered the 2025 season as a Heisman favorite and projected first-round pick, but a UCL injury in 2024 and a decline in arm strength during the 2025 season at Miami have raised concerns about his medical outlook. Despite these issues, Beck has logged three known or reported Top-30 visits, meeting with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Arizona Cardinals, and Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins visit qualifies as a local visit, but the other two meetings carry more weight, as neither team is local and both appear to have long-term answers at quarterback.

  • The 2026 NFL Draft is approaching as the annual league meetings conclude in Phoenix, Arizona.
  • Beck suffered a UCL injury in 2024.
  • Beck had an up-and-down 2025 season at Miami.

The players

Carson Beck

A former Georgia Bulldog and Miami Hurricane quarterback who has generated surprising momentum as a potential first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft despite concerns over his arm strength and injury history.

Tyler Shough

A quarterback who entered the 2026 draft process as a projected Day 3 pick before surging late into second-round consideration, even generating some first-round buzz, despite carrying notable injury concerns.

Malik Willis

A quarterback signed by the Miami Dolphins, though reports indicate the team may still be evaluating contingency plans at the position.

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What they’re saying

“Beck has logged three known or reported Top-30 visits, meeting with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Arizona Cardinals, and Miami Dolphins.”

— Jobe Morrison, Author

What’s next

With two to three weeks remaining before the 2026 NFL Draft, it remains to be seen whether Carson Beck can continue to generate momentum and potentially emerge as a dark-horse first-round or Day 2 selection, despite the concerns over his arm strength and injury history.

The takeaway

The case of Carson Beck highlights the unpredictable nature of the NFL Draft process, where players with perceived flaws can sometimes surge late and generate unexpected interest from teams. While Beck may fall short of first-round status, his recent visits with teams that appear to have long-term answers at quarterback suggest he could be a surprise selection on draft day.