Greg McElroy evaluates Carson Beck's struggles, impact of 'external noise' about NFL Draft

As the 2024 college football season approached, Carson Beck was generating some buzz as the potential top quarterback off the board in the 2025 NFL Draft. But some recent struggles could change that conversation, and Greg McElroy wondered if that “outside noise” was having an impact.

Beck started the season strong for Georgia, completing 65.8% of his passes for 1,359 yards, 12 touchdowns and just three interceptions through five games. But over the last three games, he completed 65.1% of his attempts for 943 yards, five touchdowns and eight picks – including back-to-back games with three interceptions.

McElroy pointed out the change in Beck’s game, opting to try for the big play after going more for checkdown passes. As a result, it’s turned into a bumpy road, and he said the Georgia standout has to block out the outside chatter.

 “It started where he was – he didn’t really trust his new wide receivers,” McElroy said ahead of Tuesday’s College Football Playoff rankings reveal show. “So he wouldn’t cut it loose. That was against Kentucky. Then, as a result, he started checking it down a lot. And then, everyone’s like, ‘Oh, you’re a Checkdown Charlie. You’re playing your way out of the first round.’ Now, it’s like, ‘Oh, no, I’ve got to prove it. I’ve still got it.’

“Now, he’s forcing it into spots he shouldn’t force it into, so it’s been a little bit of a rollercoaster, from my assessment. You can’t play like that. You have to eliminate all external noise, focus on the task at hand, take what the defense gives you. He has not done that well at all in the last four games.”

Despite Carson Beck’s up-and-down last three games, Georgia is still rolling. The Bulldogs have won each of those games, including last week’s rivalry victory against Florida in Jacksonville. That helped them become the No. 3-ranked team in the first College Football Playoff rankings of the year entering Week 11 with an intriguing matchup against Ole Miss looming this week.

Still, Beck’s recent stretch brings some question. ESPN’s Rece Davis echoed a similar sentiment to McElroy, pointing out the fact Beck doesn’t look as solid as he did last year.

“Look, Carson Beck is a really good player and I understand that there are some mental pressures with returning to your hometown to play – but he had done it before there in Jacksonville,” Davis said. “But now this is the third big game out of four big games, whether you categorize them because of rankings or because of rivalry – Alabama, Texas, Florida. Carson Beck has thrown three interceptions in each of those games. On the season, he’s thrown 11 picks. That’s the second-most in the country.

“For a guy who was being talked about as QB1 in the upcoming NFL Draft? And the frustration that you saw on the sideline from Carson Beck? There appears to be some regression or self-imposed pressure or something that’s not quite right for Beck and the Georgia offense.”