Notre Dame 2025 Profile: Quarterback CJ Carr

Notre Dame is looking for a new quarterback in 2025 and redshirt freshman CJCarr is right in the mix of the battle for the starting role. The talented signal caller will have to earn the starting job in fall camp, but he has the talent to not only win the job, but to thrive. Carr will certainly have plenty of hype and pressure, but he has the talent to live up to those expectations.

IB kicks off its 2025 player preview profiles with a look at CJ Carr.

CJ CARR BIO

Jersey #: 13

Hometown/High Schools: Saline, Mich./Saline

Height/Weight: 6-3, 210

Class/Eligibility: Sophomore/Freshman

2024 RECAP

Carr came to Notre Dame as a highly coveted prospect, ranking as a Top 50 recruit by Rivals, ESPN and 247Sports. Carr also ranked as a five-star player on the Irish Breakdown board after a brilliant career at Saline (Mich.) High School. It was expected that Carr would take a redshirt season due to the arrival of Duke transfer RileyLeonard and veteran backup SteveAngeli.

Carr only got into one game (Purdue) and played just four snaps during the season. In the middle of the season Carr suffered an arm injury that limited his availability for the remainder of the regular season. Carr got close to full strength by the time the playoff rolled around.

2025 EXPECTATIONS

Carr still has to earn the starting job, so before we get into expectations he'll need to prove he's the best man for the job. I broke down the keys to winning the starting job in the quarterback preview, which you can find HERE. 

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There are a number of traits that made Carr a highly-regarded prospect and also excite me about what he can do for the Notre Dame offense. He has truly elite arm talent, something we saw in each of the last two Blue-Gold Games. Carr has a smooth release, consistent arm action, the ability to change arm angles when needed, he mixes up velocity as needed and his touch and accuracy are outstanding. His clean release and easy throwing motion masks the fact that Carr can get plenty of zip on the ball and is more than able to make tough throws in tight spaces and he has hit multiple far hash throws in the spring games.

Carr doesn't have the same kind of power that KennyMinchey possesses, or what we saw from past quarterbacks like MalikZaire, BrandonWimbush or EverettGolson, but he has plenty of big throw skills. We didn't get to see Carr throw the deep ball much in high school, but he's put really good downfield throwing talent on display the last two springs. His downfield ball placement is outstanding and he can get the ball over the top of the defense. 

There isn't a throw in the Notre Dame offense that Carr doesn't have the ability to hit, and hit often.

Carr is also a smart player with an advanced feel for the game. He's a very good decision maker and he understands the need to get the ball out on time and he shows a good feel for putting the ball in the proper placement. The accuracy and ball placement that Carr shows is top notch, at least in practice and spring games. Now we have to see him hit it in games, but the tools are there. Carr will need to mature quickly, and going through progressions in games is much different than practice - or even a spring game - but the tools are there for Carr.

Even though he is just a redshirt freshman with just four snaps under his belt, Carr will be expected to perform at a championship level in 2025. There is a talented supporting cast and a much more experienced offensive line returning this season, so Carr won't have to carry the offense or the team the way Leonard was forced to last season. But that doesn't mean he can just be a check down king and game manager either. That will work in the regular season, but if Notre Dame is going to play for a title it will need Carr to grow up quickly. He'll need to process quickly and avoid holding onto the ball too long or forcing bad throws.

By the time we get to October and November, Carr will be asked to handle a lot more volume, be comfortable enough to make quick checks at the line, get the offense into and out of bad plays, and become more of a playmaker with both his arm and legs. Carr isn't a player you're going to call a lot of designed runs for, but he's an athletic player that can scramble when needed and also execute the red zone concepts in the Irish offense, both the run and pass versions.

Yes, Carr is a redshirt freshman with no experience, but he can't play like a quarterback with no experience if Notre Dame is going to make another run at the title game. He'll need to play like a five-star talent that is leading a very talented supporting cast. The closer he gets to being that kind of player the better the odds that Notre Dame can field an elite offense in 2025.

BIGGEST QUESTIONS

Here are the biggest questions surrounding Carr heading into the 2025 campaign.

1) Can Carr win the starting job - Everything I wrote above sounds great and Carr is certainly a talented quarterback, but he has to win the job first. Carr will have to earn the starting role, as it won't be handed to him. Minchey is going to battle hard and wants the starting job as well. Carr will need to start fast and carry it through fall camp.

2) How quickly can he get comfortable running the show - If Carr does win the job the next question is how quickly can he take command of the offense. Part of taking command is demanding leadership with his work ethic, attitude and ability to run the offense. The other part of showing the command needed to lead an elite offense is being able to handle the mental part of running the offense. Being good at protection calls, getting the offense into good looks and making sure everyone on offense is doing what they need to do are all parts of being comfortable in the offense.

3) Will Carr be able to advance past game manager - If Carr is simply a game manager this season the offense will be good. A game manager in my view is someone who runs the offense at a relatively high level, gets the ball to his playmakers and limits mistakes. If that's all we see from Carr the offense will be fine and Notre Dame will win a lot of games, and that is due to the talent that will be around the quarterback this season. But if Notre Dame wants to win a championship it will need its quarterback to be all those things, but also someone who can make big time throws. 

4) Does Carr develop enough to hit his peak in the postseason - Carr doesn't need to look like a world beater against Miami and Texas A&M. If he's simply a game manager like I just described the offense will be in a good spot. By the time we get to November he'll need to start hitting his stride. That should build him up to where is playing his best ball in the playoffs. 

A SUCCESSFUL SEASON FOR CARR WOULD BE ....

First it means he wins the starting job. After that, a successful season is one where Carr continues to grow throughout the season. He's able to limit the big mistakes, gets more and more comfortable as the season goes on, shows the command you expect from a really smart and talented quarterback, and starts playing his best ball in the second half of the season (including the playoffs). Throwing for at least 2,800 yards and 25 touchdowns while keeping the turnovers in single digits during the regular season would be a good first season for Carr. Anything beyond that would mean questions two, three and four from above were answered.