It seems like the deeper we get into the offseason, the higher the expectations for CJ Carr grow.
The Notre Dame quarterback is already projected to be a first-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft and now his odds of winning the Heisman Trophy have taken another bump on FanDuel. The betting site has Carr at +750 odds, putting him as the overall favorite, slightly ahead of Texas quarterback Arch Manning.
CJ Carr Heisman Season??? pic.twitter.com/AjyrSYqaxL
— SleeperCFB (@SleeperCFB) April 12, 2026
CJ Carr stands alone as the preseason Heisman Trophy favorite
Carr is coming off of an impressive redshirt freshman campaign where he threw for 2,741 yards, 24 touchdowns and just six interceptions. The running game behind Carr was the best in the country with Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price sharing the backfield.
Both Love and Price were first-round selections in last week's NFL Draft, and it would be natural for Carr to feel the pressure to do more on offense and in the passing game, but quarterbacks coach Gino Guidulgi spoke about that earlier in the spring and said that Carr's play has been exactly what the Irish needed to compete for a championship.
"The way he played last fall will be good enough," Guidulgi said. "He doesn't have to go out and be exponentially better for us to accomplish what we need to do."
Carr, for his part, is simply trying to improve in every aspect of his game and grow into being the leader of the offense, which means getting the younger players up to speed.
"The thing to focus on this year is more leadership," Carr said. "How can we get this offense well-oiled and running right? If there's something that needs to be said, then, I can say it."
The ultimate goal for Carr and Notre Dame is to get into the CFP 12-team bracket and win a championship. There remains a sour taste in the mouths of everyone involved that the Irish didn't get an opportunity to be in the playoffs last year. This year, they don't want to leave anything up to chance.
And if Carr happens to win the Heisman Trophy in the process? All the better.
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