JD PicKell dishes on why 2024 could be special season for Carson Beck, Georgia
Georgia is back in the driver’s seat ahead of the 2024 campaign, earning the No. 1 spot in ESPN’s “way-too-early” Top 25 Rankings. During an appearance on “The Paul Finebaum Show,” On3’s JD PicKell raved about Georgia’s potential in the upcoming season, starting with quarterback Carson Beck.
“I love Carson Beck and the fact he took over the job last year,” PicKell said. “Usually, with a first-year quarterback, sometimes it a little bit like an acclamation process. They don’t look quite as comfortable as maybe you would like them to.
“That wasn’t Carson Beck last year, completing north of 70% of his passes. Now, he gets another year with the same OC.”
Beck was outstanding this past season, his first as Georgia’s full-time starter. Beck finished the season ranked third nationally and first in the SEC in passing yards (3,941), as well as fourth in the nation in completion percentage (.724).
For his efforts, he was named a Coaches All-SEC Second Team selection and was a finalist for the Manning Award. Beck had the opportunity to enter the 2024 NFL Draft after the season, but opted to return to the Bulldogs.
Georgia gets Carson Beck all the help he needs
He won’t be the only high-octane talent on Georgia’s roster.
“They attacked the portal and got [Beck] some weapons,” PicKell said. “London Humphreys from down the road from us here in Nashville at Vanderbilt. Colbie Young, big body receiver from Miami. Got him Trevor Etienne, who’s arguably one of the best backs in the SEC.
“They got him some new toys to go along with an offense he is already familiar with. And to me, Paul, Georgia is set to Georgia once again in 2024.”
In total, Georgia added seven players in the transfer portal, including two former four-stars. Nonetheless, Georgia lost its fair share of talent, as well. Georgia lost 21 players in the transfer portal, including standouts such as Marvin Jones Jr. and Jamon Dumas-Johnson.
Despite any losses, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart has high hopes for next season, especially with Beck by his side.
“He sets an example; he sets a tone. He watched a lot of quarterbacks before him go through a lot of things. He’s a leader in that meeting room, he’s a leader on the field. To have him back, it creates a lot of confidence and energy for our team,” Smart said.
“A lot of the guys around him on offense have more confidence because he’s coming aback and the defensive players know we’re gonna have the ability to score points and be explosive. When you have an experienced quarterback, it drives your offense. We’re lucky to have him coming back.”