Teddy Jarrard's earlier than expected Notre Dame arrival has the NFL's attention

There's more than one reason why Notre Dame quarterback commit Teddy Jarrard reclassifying to the 2026 cycle is good for everyone involved. Right at the top of the list is that his decision immediately improved his chances to play in the NFL, according to the people who know what that takes, best.

Rivals' Tyler Horka recently pointed out that ESPN believes that Jarrard has the most "NFL upside" of any of the quarterbacks in the 2026 class. That includes new teammate Noah Grubbs, who was the Fighting Irish's first 2026 QB commit.

"Age and development are on Jarrard's side after he reclassified into the 2026 class from 2027 at the beginning of January. The 6-foot-3, 195-pounder has a great prototypical frame with room to pack on size and strength," ESPN wrote of the young Notre Dame quarterback.

How Teddy Jarrard’s reclassification strengthens Notre Dame’s quarterback pipeline

"Jarrard separates himself in practices and games. His poise, preparation and confidence stand out, and his physical attributes are similar to those of USC's Jayden Maiava."

"His arm strength could progress from good to elite as he gets stronger in college. Jarrard is also a deceptive athlete who could take a similar path to CJ Carr. He's willing to be patient with his development and will put himself in the best position to produce as a redshirt first- or second-year student."

A few weeks ago, there was some worry that Jarrard might sign somewhere else. Because of his reclassification, he isn't signing with Notre Dame until Wednesday.

However, the Irish have done the work to keep the quarterback in the fold. Very, very soon, the team will have yet another talented quarterback in the fold.

When he does sign, Notre Dame will have done a heck of a job putting together a quarterback room, even if there's a lot of youth there. CJ Carr, Jarrard, Grubbs, and redshirt-freshman Blake Hebert are among the most talented in the sport.