Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr stood out during this past week’s Manning Passing Academy in Louisiana, drawing praise from NFL draft analyst Todd McShay and attention from Peyton and Eli Manning—who reportedly used Carr as an example in drills.
By the time drills wrapped and quarterbacks lined up for more reps, one Notre Dame player had already made an impression that was hard to miss.
At this past week’s Manning Passing Academy in Louisiana. college quarterbacks competed in on-field work alongside feedback from NFL legends Peyton and Eli Manning while also offering tips to invited high school players. But when NFL draft analyst Todd McShay was asked who stood out most as the event’s MVP. he didn’t hesitate.
“CJ Carr, Notre Dame. Wasn’t even close. Wasn’t even close,” McShay said. He added that Julian Sayin and Arch Manning were both present. along with other “exceptional” quarterbacks—yet Carr’s throwing stood out as the “jumping off point.” McShay also pointed to Carr’s connection to the sport. noting he is Lloyd Carr’s grandson and has “been around the game his whole life.”.
The praise didn’t stop at raw talent, either. McShay compared what he saw to familiar quarterback development patterns—mentioning Tom Brady and Drew Brees—and argued Carr’s mechanics are especially noticeable in how repeatable the fundamentals look. He described Carr’s footwork. timing. and how he moves the ball. saying the way he performs. even during warmups. makes it easy to spot what’s different.
That sense of visibility followed Carr into the drills themselves. According to On3’s Tyler Horka, Peyton and Eli Manning used Carr as an example in their sessions, showing other quarterbacks how to do the work.
Carr’s performance comes with real momentum back in South Bend. He won the Notre Dame starting job last season as a freshman and finished with 2,741 passing yards, along with 24 touchdowns and six interceptions. The Fighting Irhs went 10-2 and “just missed the College Football Playoff.”
Not everyone is approaching Carr’s stock with just the excitement of a camp-week standout. ESPN’s Greg McElroy said he’s buying the hype, arguing Notre Dame has a case for preseason No. 1. His point ties to continuity: “For the first time in the [Marcus] Freeman era. Notre Dame returns both its starting quarterback and its offensive coordinator.” He then pointed to the betting landscape for the Heisman Trophy. saying Carr is the betting favorite.
Even at a high-profile quarterback event where several big names drew attention. the common thread from analysts and the NFL legends running drills was the same: Carr’s execution showed up early. stayed consistent. and made the work around him clearer—almost as if the standards he set were part of the teaching.
CJ Carr Notre Dame Manning Passing Academy Todd McShay Peyton Manning Eli Manning Julian Sayin Arch Manning Greg McElroy preseason Heisman odds
CJ Carr huh? Sounds like a Brady clone or whatever.
Manning used him as an example?? Idk if that means he’s amazing or just friends with someone. But also Todd McShay said MVP so I guess he’s good. I didn’t even know it was in Louisiana.
Wait, his grandpa is Lloyd Carr so that’s why he’s good right? Like football is basically genetics. Also why do they keep talking about Tom Brady and Brees… did he throw 7 touchdowns in practice or something?
Notre Dame preseason No. 1?? Freeman era this, betting favorite that. I swear the Heisman odds are always wrong until week 3. And “just missed the CFP” doesn’t scream dominance to me. Still, if Peyton and Eli were using him in drills then yeah, he must’ve looked different early on. I just wish they’d show the actual throws instead of all the hype quotes.