'Unique' CJ Carr Hyped by Freeman & Rival Coach, Where Does Notre Dame QB Go in B/R NFL Mock Draft?

Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman believes we haven't seen the ceiling for what quarterback CJ Carr can do on the field.

Freeman said the junior possesses "unique talent" in an interview with ESPN's Adam Rittenberg.

"CJ has that unique trait of being an ultra-competitor," the coach said. "He has the potential to be one of the best quarterbacks in college football, not only this year but in my time at Notre Dame."

Rittenberg also shared a positive assessment from an opposing coach.

"He made some big-time throws against us that I was like, 'OK, that's an NFL arm,'" the coach said. "I was more impressed with Jeremiyah Love, but he was poised. We tried to do some things to throw him off, and he was just smart. Like, for a younger player, smart, made some really good decisions, was never flustered. His future is super bright."

Quarterback play was a sore point for Notre Dame immediately preceding and early into Freeman's tenure. Drew Pyne was the starter in 2022, and the Fighting Irish leaned on a pair of experienced transfers with limited upside (Sam Hartman and Riley Leonard) in the two years that followed.

Carr, the No. 6 QB recruit in the 2024 class, was supposed to break the cycle, and that's what he's doing. He threw for 2,741 yards and 24 touchdowns to six interceptions in 2025. His 9.4 yards per attempt were third-best nationally, and he was fifth in passer rating (168.1).

Beyond what he can achieve in South Bend, the hype behind Carr as an NFL prospect is beginning to build. He was projected as the No. 8 overall pick in Bleacher Report's most recent 2027 mock draft in June.

Freeman got Notre Dame to the national championship game in 2024, and the team narrowly missed out on the College Football Playoff last year. He seems to be succeeding where Brian Kelly eventually hit a wall.

Should Carr continue to progress, the Fighting Irish are bound to be in the title hunt again.