Heading into the 2026 college football season, there was plenty of hype about the loaded quarterback class for the 2027 NFL Draft, headlined by a couple of big names and a deep second tier of potential first-round talents.
Among those second-tier names was Notre Dame’s CJ Carr, who in limited action had already flashed high-end traits that no doubt caught the eye of plenty of scouts across the NFL.
The biggest questions for Carr heading into this season: Could he build on last year’s success and continue to develop, and would he create enough draft buzz to warrant leaving multiple years of college eligibility on the table to make the early jump to the pros?
From what we’ve see so far this season, Carr definitely looks ready for the next level, and his performance in Saturday’s 37-26 win over North Carolina was full of clear evidence. Carr completed 21 of 29 passes for 234 yards against Bill Belichick’s Tar Heels, accounting for all five Fighting Irish touchdowns, four through the air and one on the ground.
Carr’s tape Saturday is full of NFL-level throws, showing the arm talent, accuracy, ball placement and decision-making the league expects of potential franchise passers:
In addition to his surgical precision and downfield attacking as a passer, Carr showed off his situational awareness, toughness and athleticism with a late touchdown run that helped seal the victory:
A redshirt sophomore, Carr could play two more years at the college level if he wants to, but considering how polished and efficient he already is, it’s hard to imagine him not making the early leap at some point. As far as the 2027 class is concerned, the top of the board has already shaken up a bit after the first month of the season. Injuries and inconsistency have impacted the likes of Arch Manning and Dante Moore, while other signal-callers like Darian Mensah and Trinidad Chambliss have impressed and launched themselves into the top-10 conversation.
Carr is making his own strong case to be added to the top tier of quarterback prospects in the 2027 group, and with the way he’s playing, it wouldn’t be shocking to see him at the top of the board for any NFL team heading into the draft process after the 2026 season wraps up.
While many quarterbacks head into the NFL with raw upside, Carr already looks like he has all the physical and mental tools to be a successful starter early in his pro career. There may be passers in this class with a better physical trait here or there, but Carr is a well-rounded prospect who is talented enough to hang with pro talent from a physical standpoint, while also having a strong handle on the intangible aspects of playing the game’s most important position.
There’s still plenty of season left, and we all know that even the draft process itself can have a seismic impact on a quarterback’s stock. But from what we’ve seen from Carr up to this point, it won’t be surprising if he’s one of the first passers to hear his name called next April, should he decide to throw his name in the hat and leave multiple years of college eligibility behind to start his pro career as a potential top-10 pick.
