Feb 19, 2025; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame head football coach Marcus Freeman and team are honored in the first half of the game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the SMU Mustangs at the Purcell Pavilion. Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

Notre Dame Football Recruiting: Irish Emerge as Favorites for Top Quarterback

Originally posted on Notre Dame Fighting Irish on SI
By Nick Shepkowski | Last updated Jul 17, 2025 9:08 PM ET

Notre Dame went about finding the quarterback for its 2027 recruiting class differently. Part of the reason is due to timing, based on the run to last season's National Championship Game, but it's also because the coaching staff has been more selective.

Although there is a long way to go, early returns appear to show Marcus Freeman and company might have connected on a home run.

Notre Dame has offered just two quarterbacks in the 2027 recruiting cycle to date: Peyton Houston of Louisiana, and Teddy Jarrard of Georgia.

Early reports hint that Houston is USC's recruit to lose, but early returns are bringing great news to Notre Dame for Jarrard.

On Thursday evening, both Steve Wiltfong and Mike Singer of Rivals (the best on the Notre Dame recruiting beat for my money) logged predictions for Notre Dame to land a commitment from Jarrard.

FONG BOMB: Rivals' @SWiltfong_ has logged an expert prediction for Notre Dame to land 4-star QB Teddy Jarrard☘️

Jarrard is the No. 2 QB in the 2027 Rivals300⭐️

Intel: https://t.co/jFgDdUBlLH pic.twitter.com/hcGQazJ116
— Rivals (@Rivals) July 17, 2025

Teddy Jarrard as a Prospect

Jarrard is getting set to start his junior year at North Cobb High School in Georgia and is viewed as one of the nation's top passers in the class. At 6-3, 190 pounds, the star passer already has over 30 scholarship offers.

Those come from the likes of big-time programs such as Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Michigan, Ohio State, and several others.

Jarrard threw for an impressive 2,647 yards and 31 touchdowns to just five interceptions as a high school sophomore. He ranks as the second quarterback nationally in the Rivals ratings for 2027.

Nick Shepkowski's Quick Takeaway:

2027 QB Teddy Jarrard continues to light it up at the Rivals Five Star Challenge. Notre Dame RB commit Javian Osborne has looked dynamic in the receiving game as well. https://t.co/dYxjfUu1zk pic.twitter.com/X4qH14bIIo
— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong_) June 24, 2025

Notre Dame fans who follow recruiting closely have some scar tissue to work through regarding quarterbacks from the heart of SEC country. The Deuce Knight experience from a year ago leaves a bad taste in mouths, but that doesn't mean you don't keep swinging.

Jarrard has seen his stock skyrocket of late, and a big junior year would only see more of the same.

In the world of college football recruiting, you take a commitment from a player like this, especially at this position, ten times out of ten, and deal with the bombardment of vultures that are going to try to come in and flip it.

As great as the Carr commitment felt at the time, one from Jarrard would feel even bigger, coming right out of Kirby Smart and the University of Georgia's backyard.

This article first appeared on Notre Dame Fighting Irish on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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