ESPN predicts starting quarterback for Notre Dame in 2025

Although this season isn’t over yet for the Fighting Irish, ESPN, in looking at every quarterback competition in the country, assessed who would be the QB1 for Notre Dame in 2025.

ESPN shared an exclusive piece on Tuesday that broke down every quarterback in contention for a starting job next season in college football. That included the Irish with three options that they could go with with one name currently projected as their starter as of today.

Projected starter: CJ Carr

ESPN predicted Carr to be Notre Dame’s starting quarterback for next fall in his second collegiate season. That’s after appearing in one game this year without recording any statistics.

Carr, who’s a former four-star as the No. 66 prospect, the No. 6 QB, and the No. 1 player out of Michigan in On3’s Industry Ranking for 2024, was very notable back during spring practice before dealing with an injury to his throwing elbow over the course of the past four months. Now, with his ceiling and potential already, he could win the job in South Bend as a redshirt freshman or sophomore in ’25.

Competition: Steve Angeli, Potential Transfer Quarterback

If Notre Dame were to look in their own quarterback room, Steve Angeli, who’d be in his fourth year, is then in second at ESPN. He is 58-79 (73.4%) when passing for 772 yards, 10 touchdowns, and an interception as a reserve through 20 appearances, including a lone start, over three seasons with the program. That includes a key sequence off the sideline for him during their semifinal in the Orange Bowl in the College Football Playoff.

If the Fighting Irish want to look elsewhere, though, they could take another quarterback out of the portal. They’ve gone that way the past two years with Wake Forest’s Sam Hartman (63.5% completion for 2,689 yards, 24 touchdowns, and eight interceptions) and Duke’s Riley Leonard (66.4% completion for 2,606 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight picks with 866 rushing yards and 16 more scores) and had a lot of success. However, reports suggest as well as Marcus Freeman himself said that they haven’t been recruiting a transfer at that position during this cycle. Also, many of the top names are already committed elsewhere by now.

Once this season is over, Notre Dame can start considering their options for next season’s starter at quarterback. Still, for now, Carr could be in the lead going into next year with Angeli, or even a yet unknown name, set to contend as well.