Aaron Murray: Freshman Carson Beck ‘looked the best of all the quarterbacks’

ATHENS — Perhaps no one could appreciate the Georgia pass game like Aaron Murray on Saturday, the SEC’s all-time leading passer and a former Bulldog who now works for CBS as an analyst.

“All eyes were on the QB position,” Murray said in his Sunday afternoon Tweet, sharing that he attended UGA’s somewhat closed scrimmage.

“I thought it was a great scrimmage. I thought everyone looked good and had their moments to shine.”

That’s saying a lot considering Georgia has a brand-new offense with first-year coordinator Todd Monken and a reloaded receiving corps and backfield.

Coach Kirby Smart started redshirt freshman D’Wan Mathis in the Saturday scrimmage at Sanford Stadium with several major donors in attendance.

Mathis, who had two interceptions in the previous scrimmage, enjoyed perhaps his strongest outing of the fall.

The 6-foot-6, 215-pounder showcased his 10.8-second 100-meter speed during an impressive touchdown run off a read option, and also threw a well-placed touchdown pass, per observers.

USC transfer JT Daniels played sparingly and was guilty of his first interception since the first scrimmage of the fall. Daniels, a veteran of the Air Raid offense Monken is known best for, forced a pass into the jaws of the first-team defense.

Freshman Carson Beck played against the twos, showing his arm strength and mobility, but also throwing a Pick-6 to freshman cornerback Jalen Kimber.

Still, Beck impressed with several other good throws and his ability to run.

Here’s what Murray said about each of the quarterbacks and the other skill position group:.

D’Wan Mathis

“Speaking with Todd Monken before, one guy we both felt has a lot of potential, a lot of upside, is D’Wan Mathis. He was actually given the nod yesterday to get with the ones in the first half to start the scrimmage off and he didn’t disappoint.

“I thought he looked really comfortable in the system. He’s a kid with a lot of upside: big arm, athletic, he showed that both inside the pocket, outside the pocket and had some great runs in the first half as well.

“I think he’s someone you continue to work with, has a chance to be pretty darn special, just needs those live in-game reps.

JT Daniels

“I thought JT, when he did take over in the second half, looked comfortable.

“He looks healthy, waiting to see when he gets cleared.”

(Smart said he anticipates Daniels will be cleared for game action from the knee injury he suffered last September in the opening half of USC’s first game, but that has not yet happened.).

Carson Beck

“I thought to me the guy that looked the best of all the quarterbacks yesterday was Carson Beck.

Lucky for him he was going against the No. 2 defense, not that vaunted No. 1 defense that UGA is going to be able to put there this fall.

“Big, strong arm, he, just like D’Wan, made plays inside and outside the pocket. So he’s someone I’m interested in watching these next couple of years, how his development takes off within the system”

Offensive overview

“All three quarterbacks I thought played really well It was a big win for the offense two weeks out from that first game.

“Running backs produced. The receivers made some plays on the outside.

“This kid named (Darnell) Washington, he’s 6-7. He’s going to be someone I’ll be watching out for, because he’s so big. He’s a great matchup against safeties and linebackers, you find him one on one in the red zone along with George Pickens, it’s going to be very dangerous for this offense

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