It is 2026, and the Cleveland Browns need a starting quarterback.
The more things change, the more they stay the same for the town’s No. 1 team.
Browns general manager Andrew Berry actually planned for this when he made last year’s draft-day trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars to add a first-round selection in this year’s draft. The only problem is that the Browns won two meaningless games at the end of the season, and the Jaguars made the playoffs, so the picks are not as high as originally anticipated.
There is also the inconvenience of a 2026 draft class that is perceived to be weak after presumptive No. 1 selection Fernando Mendoza, so the Berry could forego a quarterback in the first round to shore up other parts of the offense.
But the draft is more than one round, and if the Browns are feeling it on Day 2, they could look at Miami’s Carson Beck as the latest hope to solve the quarterback conundrum.
Name: Carson Beck
Position: Quarterback
Height/Weight: 6-foot-5, 233 pounds
College: Miami Hurricanes
2025 Stats: 16 games, 72.4 completion percentage, 3,813 passing yards, 30 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, 157.0 quarterback rating
Career Stats: 55 games, 69.5 completion percentage, 11,725 passing yards, 88 touchdowns, 32 interceptions, 156.6 quarterback rating
Average “Big Board” Position as of Publishing Date from Mock Draft Database: 117th overall, projected fourth round
The Draft Network’s Grade/Round Value: Round 3 – Adequate Starter
What an Expert is Saying
Three-year starter who has weathered his share of ups and downs. Beck has NFL-caliber size and a lot of experience playing in high-leverage games. He recovered from the 2024 UCL surgery on his throwing elbow, but he appeared to lose some drive velocity on deep balls and move throws. He works through progressions at a good pace and can throw with anticipation, but he loses track of safeties, throwing into hazardous spots. Beck’s decision-making showed more maturity in his final college season, but pressure can pull him back into old habits. He spins a catchable ball with a compact release, but spotty accuracy leads to pass breakups and a lower conversion rate on tight-window throws. Beck projects as a good backup with the potential to earn a starting job down the road, but he must continue developing game-managing instincts.
What an Expert is Saying (Bonus Round):
Mechanically, Beck has a quick, compact release for a long-levered passer, with a tight and repeatable motion. He generates solid velocity and can fit throws into tight windows or outside the numbers, although his arm strength tapers off on deeper throws. His ball placement as a whole can be streaky. However, his supporting cast at Miami—Malachi Toney, CJ Daniels, and Keelan Marion—consistently made plays on the ball at a higher rate than his receivers at Georgia, which appeared to give him more confidence to attempt aggressive but calculated throws.
While he showed slightly improved movement skills in 2025, both within the pocket and as an occasional runner, his overall lack of mobility remains a concern. He struggles to extend plays and create outside structure. He also holds on to the ball too long—when hesitating to throw into tight windows or passing up easier underneath options in search of bigger plays—and he does not consistently handle pressure well.
Beck will be drafted as an early-career backup with future NFL starting potential. Betting on the latter is rich for my blood. I see some shades of Tanner McKee (Eagles) and Aiden O’Connell (Raiders) in Beck’s game. I could see him having a similar career as a high-end backup who can win games when called on.
Fit with the Browns
Beck has the experience NFL teams like to see after starting for two years at Georgia and one year at Miami. And there may be no one in the NFL more familiar with Beck’s game than head coach Todd Monken, as the two spent three years together at Georgia. Beck may not have been the starter while Monken was offensive coordinator, but they were on the practice field and the meeting room together, so Monken should have a good sense of what Beck can bring to a team.
Still, it is hard to shake off the question of whether or not Beck can produce on a consistent basis when it matters the most. For every game-clinching drive, like the ones against Ohio State and Mississippi in the college football playoffs, there seems to be a corresponding bad play, like the interception against Indiana in the championship game with a shot to win the national title.
Any team looking at Beck will have to ponder whether they can get enough good plays out of him to offset the seemingly inevitable bad play at the worst time.
Browns Player Drafting Could Impact
If the Browns draft a quarterback, then Dillon Gabriel is likely the odd man out. (He may be anyway.) If the Browns draft a good quarterback, then Shedeur Sanders could be taking his show somewhere else this fall.
Priority: Does this thing go up to 11?
What are your thoughts on Carson Beck? Should the Browns take a gamble on him? Let us know in the comments!
