The Cardinals are planning ahead under center on Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Arizona spent the No. 65 overall pick on Miami quarterback Carson Beck on Friday in Pittsburgh.
Beck is the third quarterback off the board and the first selected since the Los Angeles Rams spent the No. 13 pick on Alabama passer Ty Simpson in Thursday's first round.
Beck's selection might raise some eyebrows, but makes plenty of sense for Arizona, a team entering 2026 without firm direction at quarterback. After parting with former No. 1 overall pick Kyler Murray in March, Arizona lacks a long-term solution at the position, and Beck represents a developmental project who might bake quicker than the average Day 2 pick, given his extensive collegiate experience and high-pressure performances during Miami's run to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.
The Cardinals lacked a legitimate third option in their quarterback room, too, a need that has recently become more important. NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Jacoby Brissett has not attended offseason workouts and does not intend to report until the Cardinals agree to a contract extension with him, adding a layer of previously unforeseen drama that makes both Beck and veteran Gardner Minshew more valuable to Arizona's immediate plans.
A four-star recruit out of Jacksonville, Florida, Beck chose Georgia as a highly touted prospect and projected successor to Stetson Bennett. He received his chance in 2023, threw for 3,941 yards and a 24-6 TD-INT ratio, led Georgia to a 12-1 record and was considered one of the top upcoming NFL prospects entering the 2024 season. An elbow injury undercut his aspirations, though, and after initially declaring for the 2025 draft, Beck instead transferred to Miami, where he led the Hurricanes through a storybook season that included playoff wins over reigning national champion Ohio State and Ole Miss before a suffering a heartbreaking loss to Indiana in the national title game.
Beck threw for 3,813 yards and a 30-12 TD-INT ratio, delivered in the clutch on multiple occasions and largely rehabbed his reputation as a pro prospect in one season in Coral Gables.
With new coach Mike LaFleur at the helm, the Cardinals bought in, adding Beck to a quarterbacks room that could one day become his.
