ESPN crowns Notre Dame's CJ Carr the nation's top quarterback. His accuracy, arm strength, and clutch third-down performances solidify his elite status.
The preseason hype for Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr continues, with ESPN being the latest to promote him as one of the nation's best players. ESPN analyst Bill Connelly ranked the top Power 4 quarterbacks in the country, and that list includes Notre Dame. Connelly had Carr ranked as the No. 1 returning quarterback in the country.
Connelly's ranked is based on "stats, trends and recent performances." With that in mind, he has Carr as the nation's top quarterback, ahead of Ohio State sophomore Julian Sayin.
"He sort of looked like a redshirt freshman against Miami in Week 1 of last season, but that was about it. He fell just short of leading a comeback win against the Hurricanes, then pretty much torched all other opposition. Sure, he had a spectacular run game at his disposal -- Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price combined for 2,046 yards and 29 touchdowns (and are both gone now) -- but Notre Dame ranked first nationally in third-and-long success rate (7 or more yards to go). When Carr had to make a throw, he did so.
"Carr isn't exactly your modern dual-threat guy; he doesn't scramble much, and he's not a threat to punish defenses for turning their backs on the QB in man coverage. But he also doesn't take sacks, both because of quick decision-making and the fact that he might have the best offensive line in the country protecting him. He's accurate, he has a big arm, and by the end of 2025 he was one of the most reliable passers in the sport.
"While three of last year's four main wideouts are gone, the return of Jordan Faison, plus 2024 playoff hero Jaden Greathouse (back from an injury redshirt) will help, as will the addition of two recent blue-chippers from Ohio State (Mylan Graham, Quincy Porter). Carr should have most of what he needs, and even if the run game regresses a bit, there's no reason to think he won't continue to come through on third down." - Connelly
Carr earned second team Freshman All-American honors last season after passing for 2,741 yards and 24 touchdowns while completing just under 67-percent of his passes. The Michigan native ranked second in all of college football with a 9.4 yards per attempt average and ranked fifth with a passer rating of 168.06. His passer rating set a new Notre Dame record, shattering the mark that was previously tied by Jimmy Clausen in 2009. Carr also ranked 4th in the country with a 14.1 per completion average.
The foundation for Carr is already strong, and if he can show improvement as a second year starter his 2026 campaign could be special.
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