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Quarterback Carson Beck has entered the transfer portal after previously declaring for the NFL Draft, sources confirmed to CBS Sports and 247Sports.
While Beck’s decision wasn’t entirely a surprise as he had yet to sign a standard representation agreement with an NFL agent, leaving the door open to return to college, the timing and manner in which it unfolded caught Georgia off guard.
A member of Beck’s camp gave Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart a heads-up only shortly before the news leaked Thursday afternoon, sources say, though that is not to say Georgia expected Beck back in Athens.
The nature in which Beck’s departure played out contributes to further sourness in the breakup. Sources say Georgia, at large, had already been miffed with Beck being away from the team during much of College Football Playoff preparation for the Sugar Bowl as Beck sought opinions from doctors in California and Texas.
Beck was on the sideline for the Sugar Bowl, where the Bulldogs’ season ended in a 23-10 loss to Notre Dame. Beck arrived in New Orleans a day later than his teammates and skipped the team’s media day. Some within the program that week seemed ready to move on from Beck, whose personality and headline-grabbing relationship with Miami basketball star and TikTok sensation Hanna Cavinder had become a distraction and a source of frustration for some teammates, sources said, though many of his teammates remained supportive of him as he dealt with a season-ending surgery.
On the morning of the team’s first full day in New Orleans, Beck phoned first-time starter Gunner Stockton, his replacement, to voice support and provide guidance heading into the Bulldogs’ playoff game. Beck arrived in New Orleans later that day.
Beck’s move to the portal allows him to explore his options, including a potential return to college football in 2025. While the NFL Draft remains a viable path, entering the portal and returning to college gives Beck time to recover from UCL surgery and evaluate opportunities, both on the field and through lucrative NIL deals, while improving his draft stock for the 2026 NFL Draft.
“Great decision,” said one NFL director of college scouting. “He should help himself.”
Even before Beck’s UCL injury, he was not expected to factor into Round 1 consideration for the 2025 NFL Draft. One NFL scout who covers the Southeast believed Beck would have been a Day 3 pick. Beck’s season was essentially a tale of three different acts, mired by a 12-interception spree between his fourth and 10th games. In Georgia’s first three games, Beck tossed seven scores to no interceptions and in his final four games, Beck added 11 more scores, also with no interceptions.
Sources indicate Beck could command as much as $3 million in revenue-share agreements, a figure rivaling a second-round NFL rookie salary. Beck would also be expected to earn more from collective funds and marketing deals.
Notably, Beck entered the transfer portal with a “do not contact” tag, a designation that sometimes signals a player already has a destination in mind upon his entry into the transfer market.
Miami begins as the frontrunner for Beck’s services and has aimed its eye on Beck, among other quarterbacks, in recent weeks a potential transfer target. The Hurricanes have a need for an experienced quarterback and potential to offer a competitive NIL package. The Hurricanes have actively pursued transfer quarterbacks throughout the cycle, a process that’s picked up steam in recent weeks since Emory Williams’ underwhelming Pop-Tart Bowl performance (5-for-14, 26 yards, one interception) in relief of Cam Ward in the second half. Ward enrolled at Miami last year after receiving feedback from the NFL that he was not likely to be a first-round pick in the 2024 draft; he leaves Coral Gables as the likely first overall pick in the upcoming 2025 draft.
There’s a history of Miami paying whatever it takes to land a transfer quarterback, and there’s clear urgency on the Hurricanes’ side to get this done with few other options available. Cavinder resides in Miami as a member of Miami’s women’s basketball team.
As Beck explores his options, two other schools popped up Thursday afternoon.
Contact was made by Texas Tech officials and Beck’s camp, but sources in Lubbock have largely shut down that idea to this point.
Another school that may be in the mix is Ohio State. While the Buckeyes have been steadfast behind the scenes that underclassmen like Julian Sayin are likely to take the reins, an established veteran makes some sense as the Buckeyes prepare to undergo significant roster turnover following their playoff run.
As for Beck’s recovery, his family surveyed a variety of doctors before settling on orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who performed the surgery to repair New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ torn Achilles in September 2023. Rodgers returned to limited practice activities after only 11 weeks, an advanced return that shocked experts.
UCL surgeries typically require four months of recovery before an athlete can return to throwing activities. Many athletes need nine months to a year of rehabilitation before returning to competition. Such a recovery timeline would bump Beck’s return against the start of the 2025 season, and would obviously restrict him from participating in spring practices.
There’s always the possibility Beck decides to remain in the NFL Draft with a Jan. 15 deadline to decide, but a return to college allows Beck to repair his draft stock — and it doesn’t hurt that Beck would likely make more money next year by staying in college than he otherwise would in the NFL, where late second-round picks and early third-round picks make only around $1 million a year.
Georgia, for its part, already was planning for life without Beck.
Georgia had explored a few veteran options in the transfer portal, but the Bulldogs now appear confident in Gunner Stockton as their future QB1 after his strong performance against Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl. Stockton finished the afternoon 20-for-32 with 234 yards and a touchdown against arguably the best secondary in the country, showing a nice command of UGA’s offense.
It’s possible Georgia explores adding a veteran to the room, especially with the move of third-string quarterback Jaden Rashada to the transfer portal. Rashada’s absence leaves the Bulldogs with Stockton (one career start) along with former four-star prospects Ryan Puglisi (2024 class) and Ryan Montgomery (2025 class).
Beck recorded 27 career starts over the last two seasons. His 7,912 passing yards and 58 passing touchdowns are sixth-most in Georgia history.
MORE: Latest on possible Miami matchup with Carson Beck
Richard Johnson contributed to this report
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