"Is Carson Beck worth all that money?" - ACC coach questions Miami paying $4,000,000 after controversial Georgia exit

Many across college football have argued that Carson Beck's decision to transfer to Miami and stay in college football and not enter the NFL draft was the right one, given his maturity progression. Even though he was accepted as a highly talented and accurate thrower of the ball, his intangibles had been under the microscope since last year.

However, the other side of the equation hasn't necessarily been questioned. In the NIL era, where quarterbacks are the costliest position for any program, overpaying a QB is a possible situation. An anonymous ACC coach wonders whether it's an argument that suits Miami's $4 million acquisition of Carson Beck.

"Is Beck worth all that money? No one really knows right now, but that's the question you have to ask," an anonymous coach told Athlon Sports magazine. "They'll be decent up front on defense, and they spent like crazy for a new secondary."

Mario Cristobal has put together a top-recruiting class in 2025 and paired it with Beck's transfer. But have they only been fixing it from the top down instead of building from the bottom up? The unknown ACC coach shared his perspective:

"Think there's a bigger question here on how and why they spend what they do on the guys they pick. It's sort of like a Dodgers or Yankees mindset, spending on top-end recruits and portal guys, and not really a team-focused culture. You're still in Florida, you still have to prioritize the high schools, and they've done that in NIL."

Mario Cristobal's 2025 recruiting class ranks him first in the ACC for the third consecutive year and 15th overall this year. Their defensive class is headlined by Hayden Lowe, a five-star edge rusher paired with four-star edge rusher Herbert Scroggins and defensive end rookie Mykah Newton.

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Another weapon predicted to join Carson Beck and Mario Cristobal

As per Rivals' Adam Gorney, five-star running back recruit Derrek Cooper is predicted to join the University of Miami. It could be a massive win for coach Cristobal, as he has a lot to prove this season. Even with a talent like Cam Ward, Miami arguably underachieved last year.

Miami already has Mark Fletcher Jr., who ran for 1121 yards last season, so Cooper will have the perfect spot to grow and learn. Miami's offense doesn't boast any star wide receiver, so Carson Beck will have to create synergy with a talented but inexperienced receiver room.

Even here, Beck will have two quarterbacks on the depth chart who have been there longer than him. So, it will be important for him to start earning the trust of his teammates and show the ropes to the other quarterbacks on the team.

Carson Beck has formidable protection and a solid defense to put him in the right situations. Now it comes down to him staying healthy and keeping his focus on playing up to his potential.