In their annual survey of coaches from each conference by Athlon Sports, a pair from the ACC individually questioned if Carson Beck is worth the money he is receiving and how and why Miami spends money on the guys they pick.
Beck reportedly received $4.5 million in name, image and likeness to sign with Miami. One of the comments about the Miami NIL compared the distribution to the Los Angeles Dodgers or New York Yankees spending on the top players and not really having a team-focused culture.
Miami head coach Mario Cristobal spoke about instilling a team culture entering his first season at ACC Kickoff. A lot has changed since then, with NIL and the transfer portal becoming more prevalent. How quarterback Cam Ward led Miami in 2024 proved a star can help Cristobal set the culture he wants for the Hurricanes.
Five of the top eight Miami players in NIL are 2025 incoming transfers. Miami has been at the forefront of NIL and the transfer portal since it was instituted in July 2021. Adding Beck and the five transfer defensive backs were critical upgrades for the 2025 Miami roster.
"“Is [Carson] Beck worth all that money? No one really knows right now, but that’s the question you have to ask.”Anonymous ACC coaches to Athlon Sports
“I 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.”"
Beck has the second-highest NIL nationally, behind Arch Manning of Texas. Under Cristobal, high school recruiting is still the priority for Miami. In the first three full recruiting cycles under Cristobal, Miami has signed at least a top 15 class. Miami currently has the 10th-best 2025 class in the 247Sports composite rankings.
Miami signed the 14th-ranked 2025 class and the third-ranked transfer class for 2025. Beck, the secondary, and wide receiver were the three position groups Miami focused on most in the transfer portal. Beck should have less pressure to produce on a weekly basis with the talent upgrade on defense than
The inconsistencies Miami had defensively in 2024 forced them to frequently outscore opponents to win. Beck leads a nearly entirely new passing offense for Miami, with the top six receivers moving on after 2024. Miami needed to add experience at QB. Beck is a critical addition for Miami to have success in 2025.