Notre Dame CJ Carr Named A Tier 1 Heisman Contender By Athlon Sports
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Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr is becoming one of the most talked about quarterbacks in the country. ESPN ranked him as a Tier 1 quarterback as well as a top name to know in the following NFL Draft. Carr has also been consistently ranked as a Top 10 returning signal caller in the country by major outlets.
Recently, Athlon Sports named Carr as a Tier 1 Heisman candidate falling in line with how FanDuel sees the Heisman race panning out. As of today, Carr (+750) has the best odds to bring home the trophy and is ahead of other top signal callers in the country. Athlon Sports writer Kyle Wood see's the Michigan native as one of the top contenders in the country for the heralded trophy.
"The moment was never too big for Carr as a freshman," Wood said about the 6-2, 215-pound signal caller. "And with all-world running back Jeremiyah Love gone, the Fighting Irish will rely on Carr's arm much more often this season."
Wood has eight players in total in the Tier 1 Heisman watch. Joining Carr is quarterback Arch Manning from Texas, quarterback Trinidad Chambliss from Ole Miss, quarterback Julian Sayin from Ohio State, quarterback Josh Hoover from Indiana, quarterback Darian Mensah from Miami, quarterback Dante Moore from Oregon and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith from Ohio State.
We're expecting this to be a strong year for quarterbacks across the country and Carr being one of them bodes well for the Irish.
This has been the most attention a Notre Dame quarterback has received since Brady Quinn during the 2006 offseason where he himself was named a preseason Heisman trophy favorite and one of the top names in the 2007 quarterback draft class.
The 6-2, 215-pound Michigan native had a breakout season as a redshirt freshman. Carr passed for 2,741 yards, 24 touchdowns, six interceptions and rushed for an additional three scores. He shattered the program record for quarterback passer rating and helped engineer a 10-game win streak to end the regular season. Early on, we all new Carr was the right guy for the job. Now, it's about going out and showing why he's one of the best in the country.
Some of the mistakes Carr made in 2025 were expected from a redshirt freshman in his first year under center. But there are areas that Carr has to improve heading into 2026 if the Irish wish to compete for a national title. His arm talent is exceptional, but better decision making in certain situations will be key this season. Thankfully, every quarterback in Wood's Tier 1 Heisman watch has things to improve upon this season and their evolution will dictate how their teams will perform in 2026.
Carr's best football is still in front of him. He's garnishing a lot of attention this offseason, and rightfully so. This is going to be a big year for Notre Dame and head coach Marcus Freeman. Freeman is going into year five at the helm, but year one with a returning starting quarterback. Carr was dubbed 'the future' at the quarterback position the moment he stepped on campus. Now, it's time to go out and show why he's one of the best signal callers in the country.
Athlon Sports Tier 2 Heisman Watch
Quarterback – Bear Bachmeier, BYU
Quarterback – Sam Leavitt, LSU
Quarterback – Jayden Maiava, USC
Quarterback – John Mateer, Oklahoma
Quarterback – Marcel Reed, Texas A&M
Quarterback – Gunner Stockton, Georgia
Athlon Sports 'Don't Forget About' Heisman Watch
Quarterback – Rocco Becht, Penn State
Running Back – Kewan Lacy, Ole Miss
Quarterback – Austin Mack/Keelon Russell, Alabama
Quarterback – LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
Wide Receiver – Malachi Toney, Miami
Quarterback – Bryce Underwood, Michigan
Quarterback – Demond Williams, Washington
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