Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr is forcing his way to the front of the 2027 NFL Draft conversation.
That class was supposed to belong to Arch Manning, Dante Moore and Julian Sayin. Instead, halfway through the college football season, all three have fallen short of expectations, with two dealing with injuries and the third close to being benched. That has opened the door for a new name to take over at the top.
Carr should be viewed as the class’ QB1.
He is not the prototype that usually gets the loudest buzz. He is listed at about 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, not the oversized, howitzer-armed passer that used to dominate draft wish lists.
He is not a Lamar Jackson-style runner, either, and Notre Dame’s ground game means his stat lines are not going to jump off the page. But his value comes from somewhere more durable.
Carr consistently shows advanced pre-snap command. He sets protections, changes plays and gets his offense lined up in the right situation based on what he sees before the snap. Pair that with his accuracy, and he offers more than quarterbacks who may look flashier on paper because of arm strength or athletic tools.
The best NFL comparisons in the source are Matt Ryan and Drew Brees, two quarterbacks who made a living by getting their offense organized before the snap and then punishing defenses with precision. The point is simple: that skill is easy to admire and much harder to teach. Plenty of talented quarterbacks fail because they cannot handle the mental side fast enough when the NFL game speeds up.
Saturday’s loss to BYU did not hurt Carr’s case. If anything, it helped it.
Yes, he had two mistakes: he fumbled a spike attempt late in the first half, and he missed a wide-open Jordan Faison down the seam in the first quarter. But Notre Dame’s final drive showed exactly why Carr has climbed this high.
He stayed composed, moved away from pressure, avoided sacks and handled the clock calmly. As the possession tightened near the end, his pre-snap work kept creating favorable route concepts and open targets. His decision-making and ball placement on that drive were strong throughout.
Even the last snap of the game fit the profile. Carr delivered the ball to Jaden Greathouse in the right spot before interference got in the way.
Forget Arch Manning. Forget Dante Moore. CJ Carr has made the strongest case to be QB1 in the 2027 NFL Draft.
In Other News...
Notre Dame Just Landed A Rare 2027 Opener Change
Notre Dame has a little extra clarity for 2027 now, and it comes with a scheduling twist that changes the feel of the season before it even begins. The Irish will open against Kent State at Notre Dame Stadium on Aug. 28, moving the game up from the originally listed Oct. 2 date and giving the program its first home opener since 2020. It also adds a first-time opponent to the mix in a game that carries a bit of added resonance because Kent State is the alma mater of the late Lou Holtz.
For Notre Dame, the switch is less about novelty than it is about the shape of the early season, with another confirmed matchup now set in place on the calendar. It also alters the terms of the original arrangement, which included a $1.3 million guarantee payment to Kent State, underscoring how these nonconference deals can shift long before the teams ever take the field. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Fans Have A New Reason To Watch BYU This Week
No. 2 BYUs trip to UCF gives Notre Dame fans a fresh scouting opportunity, and it comes with a little extra intrigue for the Irish after the Cougars handled then-No. 2 Notre Dame earlier this season. UCF is getting ready to host a top-five team for the first time, so the Knights are treating the matchup as a measuring stick, with Scott Frost and several players talking about the lift that comes from playing at home and the challenge of going after an undefeated opponent.
For Notre Dame, the bigger draw is simple: another look at the team that already showed it can beat elite competition, this time in a different setting and against a defense trying to find ways to slow quarterback Bear Bachmeier. UCF is still looking for its first win against a top-five opponent, which only adds to the stakes, but from an Irish perspective the game is a chance to watch how BYU handles pressure on the road and whether the Cougars can keep rolling after their win in South Bend. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Finally Got The Greathouse Breakout Fans Needed
Jaden Greathouse gave Notre Dame exactly the kind of performance the offense has been waiting for, finishing with a career-high eight catches for 125 yards against BYU and earning Comeback Player of the Week honors. Even in a loss, the outing stood out as a sign that the receivers role can keep growing, and it offered Irish fans a clearer glimpse of what the passing game can look like when he is involved early and often.
The disappointment was still hard to shake, though, because Notre Dame left the field with the result overshadowed by controversy over the final play and the officiating around it. Greathouses breakout was a bright spot the Irish can build on, but the bigger frustration is that his best day yet came in a game that ended with more debate than closure. [Read more 🡒]