With CJ Carr's first start for the Notre Dame football team just hours away, there are still a ton of questions about just what the starting quarterback will offer the Fighting Irish. And while there were will still be questions even after his first game of the year, there is at least one analyst who believes that Carr could be one of the big breakout stars of 2025.
ESPN's Billy Tucker put together a list of 10 second-year breakout players he expects to see in 2025. Carr is officially entering his second year, even if he redshirted last season and is still technically a freshman. The degree of difficulty for him is that he missed quite a bit of time last fall due to injury, so he didn't get to practice as much as some other heirs apparent might.
Why Notre Dame football QB CJ Carr is poised to shine despite limited experience
"There may not be a more highly scrutinized job in college sports than the starting quarterback at Notre Dame," Tucker wrote. "Carr, the grandson of former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, has been well prepared on and off the field and will be ready for the challenge."
"Carr was ranked as the No. 2 pocket passer in the class of 2024 in part because of his great accuracy and acumen. With running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price returning and an experienced offensive line, the Irish might not need Carr to break out with huge production. But he will need to anticipate, get the ball out and push it downfield to his targets. All of this is within his skill set, which is why he's on this list."
The Notre Dame football quarterback has been all sorts of lists like this. Here's hoping that he can indeed break out enough that the Fighting Irish find themselves with a ton of success in the fall of 2025.