Before the first half was over vs. Alabama on Saturday, Carson Beck had already thrown multiple interceptions, something he had never previously experienced in any single game during his first two seasons as Georgia’s starting quarterback.
Yet — despite two more turnovers after halftime, including a late game-sealing interception — the overall 439-yard (54% completion), three-touchdown, three-interception showing from Beck during the 41-34 loss to the Crimson Tide may have actually ended up being a positive for him in the eyes of NFL scouts, specifically the mental resolve he showed while bouncing back from the worst half of his college career.
“What he did from first half to second half was really impressive because with what happened to him in the first half, there’s not many people that can overcome that,” an NFL scouting source told CBS Sports. “It’s hard. He looked much looser in the second half. He gave his players a chance to make plays. So if anything, he helped himself because you’re going to make mistakes in the NFL.
“You’re going to have a bad quarter. You’re going to have a bad half. But are you going to let it turn into a bad game? The snowball effect can’t happen at quarterback. It’s got to be stopped at some point. He did a good job of that. He nipped it in the bud and turned things around.”
It wasn’t just that one NFL scouting source either. The consensus feedback shared by four NFL scouting sources on Beck coming out of that game is essentially the same it’s been for the better part of the last year — that he’s a late first-round to second-round type prospect.
That’s what the outlook would have been for him had he turned pro after last season, per NFL scouts. That’s what it was for the most part entering the season. And that’s where it remains now.
After ending the first half vs. Alabama with Georgia down 30-7 and with a stat line that consisted of a 47% completion percentage, just 100 passing yards, no touchdowns and the two interceptions, Beck threw for 339 yards along with three touchdowns in the second half and had the Bulldogs 20 yards away from a game-tying touchdown before the final interception with 43 seconds remaining.
Led by Beck, four of Georgia’s final six possessions produced touchdowns, including a 67-yard Beck touchdown pass that gave the Bulldogs a 33-28 lead with 2:31 left in the fourth quarter. He threw for 250 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter alone.
“Honestly, the second half was awesome,” an NFL scouting source said. “The first half wasn’t good. But to me, that’s why I’m not putting too much into it because you take a really bad first half and a really good second half. You almost just balance it out. So I’m not crushing the kid for the game. He’s going to play Texas coming up. He’s going to play Tennessee. Chances are they’re going to play Bama again, so we’re going to see what he’s got again. So I’m not putting way too much on the kid for that game. There’s going to be plenty more opportunities.”
Is he in line to be the No. 1 overall pick? Probably not, barring opinions in the NFL world changing a good amount between now and next year’s NFL Draft.
Is he even a definite first-round pick? No.
However, the outlook for him isn’t anywhere near as doom and gloom as many would have been expecting coming out of that first half vs. Alabama.
“I think he’s right there still (as a fringe first-round prospect),” an NFL scouting source said. “I know I haven’t, and I don’t think people in the profession are going to put so much stock into one game that they’re like: Oh man, all of a sudden, he’s a fourth-round player. All of a sudden, he’s a fifth-round player. Just like, I don’t think if he would have went out and threw for 450 yards, four touchdowns, no interceptions, then all of a sudden he’s the number one quarterback. I think it’s just a piece of the process for it. If he goes out and plays really well vs. Texas and really well vs. Tennessee and, shoot, even if he goes out this weekend and plays really well against Auburn, I think it’s all going to play a part into it.”
MORE: 247Sports analyst Blake Brockermeyer gives his take on Carson Beck
