Georgia QB Carson Beck announces plan to enter NFL draft after season-ending elbow injury | Ap Sports

Georgia quarterback Carson Beck announced his plans to enter the NFL draft on Saturday, five days after undergoing season-ending elbow surgery.

Beck, a fifth-grader, made his NFL plans official on social media.

He suffered a right elbow injury in the first half of the Bulldogs’ 22-19 overtime win over Texas in the Southeastern Conference championship game on Dec. 7 in Atlanta.

Beck underwent surgery on Monday to repair his ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow. The procedure was carried out by Dr. Neal ElAttrache performed in Los Angeles. Beck is expected to begin throwing next spring.

He could have returned for a sixth season but will instead be taken in the NFL draft.

Beck posted on Instagram: “The last five years at the University of Georgia have been nothing short of a dream come true and I will forever cherish the memories made along the way.”

Gunner Stockton, who replaced Beck in the second half against Texas, will make his first start for Georgia on Wednesday in the Sugar Bowl against Notre Dame in the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff.

Beck started every game of the 2023 and 2024 seasons. As a starter, he was 24-3.

Beck passed for 3,941 yards with 24 touchdowns and just six interceptions in 2023, but had more trouble with turnovers this season as he passed for 28 touchdowns with 12 interceptions. Before his injury in the SEC Championship Game, he completed 7 of 13 passes for 56 yards.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart stuck with Beck despite a streak of eight interceptions in three games midway through the season.

“When you look at the stats, you see they’re not the same as last year,” offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said Saturday as he reflected on Beck’s career. “The goal in this league is to win the SEC Championship. And he was the quarterback of that team that got us to this game and put us in this position.”

Offensive defenseman Tate Ratledge added: “I think Carson should be remembered as a great player. He got us to this point in the season.”

Stockton, a sophomore, completed 12 of 16 passes for 71 yards with one interception against Texas. He signed with Georgia as a highly recruited in-state player out of Rabun County High School, where he broke Trevor Lawrence’s state high school record for most touchdown passes in a career and Deshaun Watson’s state record for combined rushing and passing. touchdowns in his career.

“When he was in high school, he was obviously one of the best to ever do it at Georgia,” Bulldogs linebacker Chaz Chambliss said of Stockton, adding that he “just has that fire in him.”

Georgia was preparing to start at Stockton before Beck’s season-ending injury was announced. Stockton will look to join a short list of quarterbacks who have been promoted from backup jobs to winning national championships.

The list includes Georgia’s Stetson Bennett, who began the 2021 season as JT Daniels’ backup before taking over the starting job in October. Lawrence took over for Kelly Bryant during Clemson’s 2018 championship season.

The best comparison to Stockton’s challenge during the CFP era may be Cardale Jones on Ohio State’s 2014 national championship team. Jones’ first start was the Big Ten championship game following an injury to JT Barrett, who spent the preseason as the expected backup ahead of Braxton Miller’s injury began.

Stockton led Georgia to a touchdown on its first drive against Texas and had extra practice time during the Bulldogs’ break after receiving a bye in the first round playoffs.

“To see his growth since he’s been here, he’s waited patiently, he’s sat and put in his time and he’s worked while he’s waited,” Georgia safety Malaki Starks said Friday. “And now he gets the chance to go out and prove what he can do. And you know, I believe in him 100%.”

Starks, a native of Jefferson, Georgia, often faced Stockton’s Rabun County teams in high school.

“He’s always been that guy, you know, since I was growing up,” Starks said.

“He’s an easy guy to follow. I mean, Gunner is a great guy, very respectful, great parents. I mean, he’s the guy you want to lead. And a lot of people have faith in him. And I think you saw in the SEC (championship game) games how much the guys believed in him.”

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