Quarterback rumors have been in short supply for the 2026 NFL Draft, mainly because Fernando Mendoza -- the presumptive #1 overall pick -- seems like the only player at the position guaranteed to go in the 1st round.
But the intrigue is ramping up in the hours leading up to the draft, as you might expect.
There has, of course, been a ton of buzz connecting Alabama prospect Ty Simpson to the Arizona Cardinals, but there has been virtually nothing discussed regarding Miami prospect Carson Beck...until now. NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero recently dropped a very intriguing nugget about Beck generating attention from teams in the first round.
Carson Beck in the 1st Round would send shockwaves through the 2026 NFL Draft
Carson Beck = 1st Rounder??@TomPelissero told us to be ready for anything in the #NFLDraft:#NFL @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/Hw9oxLhEqz
— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) April 22, 2026
There was a time when Carson Beck was a mainstay in the 1st round of mock draft scenarios, but it seemed like his stock plummeted this past season for whatever reason. But perhaps the success of Tyler Shough in his rookie season with the Saints will cause NFL teams to not care as much about the fact that Beck is already 24 going on 25.
These types of discussions were happening last year around this time regarding Shough, and the Saints look like geniuses for taking him now.
Perhaps teams will feel like they can find similar luck with someone like Carson Beck, who does have a ton of qualities that are starter-caliber at the NFL level.
Beck sees the field really well, he's extremely effective off of play-action, and he has a lot of starting (and winning) experience. He started a whopping 43 games at the college level, and he has the size NFL teams covet at 6-foot-5, 234 pounds.
It's important to remember that these pre-draft notes and reports don't mean anything definitive will happen. As we know, Shough didn't actually end up going in the 1st round last year. But supply and demand dictates the action we see in the draft, and what happened last year could create more urgency this year.
Someone like Beck already has friends in high places with Todd Monken now the head coach in Cleveland. Monken has known Beck since he was a young boy playing baseball with Monken's son. Then, Monken was the OC and quarterbacks coach at Georgia for Beck's first three collegiate seasons.
Even though the Jets don't have that strong of a connection to Beck, they have also done a ton of pre-draft work on him with a variety of crucial touch points. Jets offensive coordinator Frank Reich was at the Miami pro day, so there's at least a little smoke from those two teams.
If the Cardinals trade up into the late 20s to get Ty Simpson, is it possible we could see a team like the Browns or Jets trade into the 30s to get Beck? According to this report from Pelissero, it's not only possible, but there might be some steam building toward it.
Add us as a preferred source on Google