The Arizona Cardinals had a busy day on Friday, selecting guard Chase Bisontis with the 34th overall selection and then drafting quarterback Carson Beck with the 65th overall pick in the third round. In doing so, the Cardinals were able to strengthen their offense for the foreseeable future.
Beck gives the Cardinals a quarterback of the future. He played at a high level for the Miami Hurricanes last season, throwing for 3,813 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He also threw for a 72.4 completion percentage, which was second in the FBS.
In addition, he was able to showcase his skill set at a high level on the big stage. He threw for 741 yards, five passing touchdowns, and three interceptions in four playoff games for the Hurricanes. He also added one rushing touchdown to his credit. His best game came against Ole Miss in the Fiesta Bowl. He went 23-of-37, throwing for 268, two touchdowns, and an interception.
With the No. 65 overall pick in the 2026 @NFLDraft, the @AZCardinals select Carson Beck.
NFL Draft on NFLN/ESPN/ABC
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/axCpJ34OXe— NFL (@NFL) April 25, 2026
Beck Brings Big-Game Experience to Cardinals
Prior to his time at Miami, he played for the Georgia Bulldogs. His best season with Georgia came in 2023. That year, he threw for 3941 yards, 24 touchdowns, and six interceptions.
For his entire college career, he threw for 11,725 yards, 88 touchdowns, and 32 interceptions.
Beck will be able to help the Arizona Cardinals quarterback room in several ways. For one, he is an experienced starter, despite playing at the collegiate level. He has 43 career starts to his name. In addition, he ran a pro-style offense at Miami that benefited a quarterback of his caliber. He was able to use his skill set and read defenses quickly, which allowed him to accumulate his high completion percentage.
The Cardinals do have a full quarterback room. Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew figure to be ahead of Beck both in terms of knowledge and veteran status. Brissett would be entering the 2026 season as the incumbent quarterback. He had a decent season last year for the Cardinals. The signal-caller recorded 3,366 passing yards, 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions on the year.
Step In Right Direction For Cardinals
Beck has the unique skill set of training and experience to the Cardinals quarterback room, as well as a rookie who can learn the system. He gives them an option for the future. He may not be your traditional franchise quarterback, but he can lead a team and move the football in short order. His ability to process defenses, as well as his decision-making, definitely make him a little bit more advanced than your average rookie.
Beck may not be a long-term answer, but he can provide the Cardinals with a playmaker at the quarterback position. They were already able to get a playmaking running back in Jeremiyah Love, and now they have a player who could complement him well in Beck. One has to wonder how these pieces will complement each other. Arizona has done a nice job of being able to build out their offense, and the addition of Beck certainly gives them a strong group of pieces to be able to build from, especially following the departure of Kyler Murray.
Cardinals Select QB Carson Beck with No. 65 Overall Pick