The Pittsburgh Steelers hosted Miami (Fla.) quarterback Carson Beck and San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson on Tuesday to take a closer look at two possible targets for the upcoming NFL Draft.
The 6-foot-5, 223-pound Beck, a three-year starter, led Miami to the national championship game in January. He completed 72% of his throws and passed for 3,813 yards and 30 touchdowns last season.
Beck, 23, began his college career at Georgia, where he was the Bulldogs’ starter for two years and compiled a 24-3 record. He passed for 3,941 yards in 2023 and followed up with 3,485 in 2024.
However, Beck sustained a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing elbow in the 2024 SEC championship and needed surgery. He briefly declared for the 2025 NFL Draft but reconsidered and later transferred to Miami as a sixth-year senior.
“Beck has NFL-caliber size and a lot of experience playing in high-leverage games,” said draft analyst Lance Zierlein in Beck’s NFL.com profile. “He recovered from 2024 UCL surgery on his throwing elbow, but he appeared to lose some drive velocity on deep balls and move throws.”
Zierlein projected Beck “as a good backup” who could become a starter later.
The 6-foot, 193-pound Johnson ranks among the better cornerback prospects in this year’s draft class. Considered a versatile defender, the 21-year-old Johnson capped his four-year San Diego State career with four interceptions as a senior. He returned two for touchdowns.
At the scouting combine, Johnson ran the 40-yard dash in 4.40 seconds.
“Johnson’s coverage versatility, toughness and athleticism should make him an early starter for a coverage-hungry team,” said Zierlein on NFL.com.
The NFL Draft is April 23-25 in Pittsburgh.