Notre Dame football quarterback CJ Carr finally had the game everyone was waiting for. Against Miami in Week 10, the redshirt sophomore put together the best performance of his career, and the 2027 NFL Draft quarterback conversation looks a lot different because of it.

On the latest episode of Best Pod Available, my co-host Joe DeLeone and I went deep on how Week 10 reset expectations for this quarterback class. Carr headlined that discussion. Before the season, I was very much in wait-and-see mode on Carr. I thought there was a chance he would return to Notre Dame for 2027.

That thinking has changed.

CJ Carr finally delivered against Miami

Players get defined by how they perform against their best opponents. Nobody is going to remember what Carr did against Purdue. If he declares, scouts are going to watch the Miami game, the BYU game, and whatever playoff stretch the Fighting Irish put together.

That is why the Miami performance carried so much weight. Carr showed poise and decisiveness, and he got the ball out quickly.

Notre Dame did not allow a sack. Part of that came from strong pass protection against a talented Miami front, but Carr deserves a lot of the credit. He escaped pressure well and made some impressive throws, including an improvised completion to Aneyas Williams, a dig route to Mike Gilbert, and a beautiful ball to Jaden Greathouse.

The biggest difference from 2025 is that he didn’t make bad decisions when pressured. That has always been my question with Carr. At 6-2, 215 pounds, he has an NFL frame and NFL arm talent. What happens when the heat gets on him?

The two-minute drive before halftime answered that. Carr was calm and collected, and he made plays both in and out of structure. If there is one example of what makes NFL evaluators salivate over Carr, it is that drive.

Joe went even further. He believes Carr made himself a top-5 pick, barring a total meltdown down the stretch or in the playoffs. Carr now leads the Heisman odds as well.

Why Carr could end up as QB1

Here’s the thing about this quarterback class: it feels like it changes every single week. Carr is one of the few quarterbacks who has shown steady, linear development from last season. Plenty of others have leveled off or regressed.

The BYU game wasn’t great, but it wasn’t a disaster either. Carr missed a couple of important throws. The response against Miami showed real growth.

I’m going to say something that might sound outlandish. I think there’s a solid chance Carr ends up being the first quarterback taken.

I’m not saying I would take him first. But I don’t think it is a no-brainer that Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker goes QB1 anymore. It is going to come down to taste, and Carr can likely make a quicker impact because he has been playing football longer.

With so much uncertainty in this class, it makes a lot of sense for Carr to declare. He just sent the NFL a message, and it all comes down to how he finishes. If he keeps protecting the football and plays well in the College Football Playoff, the case only gets stronger.

Where Darian Mensah and Arch Manning stand

Miami quarterback Darian Mensah was on the other side of that matchup. Nothing we saw against Notre Dame should change your opinion of him. He’s a good processor who is incredibly accurate, and he deserves credit for nearly willing Miami back without Malachi Toney.

That said, I think there are clear arm strength deficiencies. His interception came on a poorly underthrown out route, and a deep ball to Vandrevius Jacobs hung up and died. I’d call his arm NFL average at best, and probably slightly below.

Still, between what national analysts are saying and what we’re hearing on the scouting side, I expect the NFL to take Mensah in the first round. I just question the ceiling.

Texas quarterback Arch Manning also had his best game of the season. That came behind a Texas offensive line that is much worse than it was last year. I don’t think he declares, but if he does, his last name, his 6-4, 230-pound frame, and his athleticism will keep him in the first-round mix.

Saturday night, I asked a current NFL area scout about Manning’s last couple of weeks. The scout said, “It’s been really boring, but that’s actually a good thing for Arch.”

That is a compliment. What drives evaluators crazy about Manning is a lack of consistency on easy plays. Boring is exactly what he needs.

For Carr, the path is clear. Keep stacking performances like the one against Miami, and he will make the strongest push of anyone to be the first quarterback off the board.