Four-Star Recruit CJ Carr Signs With the Fighting Irish

Notre Dame officially signed consensus four-star quarterback CJ Carr, a cornerstone of the Irish’s 2024 recruiting class. With Sam Hartman moving on to the NFL, Notre Dame has Hartman’s backup, Steve Angeli, returning next season, along with highly coveted Duke transfer Riley Leonard, and freshman Kenny Minchey.

Carr, a 6-3, 190-pound signal caller from Saline, Michigan, is a grandson of former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr. The Saline High School star selected Notre Dame over Alabama, Georgia, LSU, and Michigan, among many other schools. In 2023, Carr had 199 completions from 292 attempts (68.2 percent). He threw for 2,754 passing yards, including 24 touchdowns, to nine interceptions. He also rushed for 91 yards and nine touchdowns. In his high school career, Carr completed 577 of 861 passing attempts for 8,135 yards. He had 78 touchdowns and 18 interceptions.

“It was time for me to spread my wings a little bit and get a little further from home,” Carr told the Associated Press last week before leaving home for South Bend, Indiana, to join the Irish for their Sun Bowl preparations. The fifth-ranked high school quarterback in the country, Carr was named 2023 MHFSFCA First Team All-State and was a 2024 All-American Bowl Invite, as well as a 2023 Elite 11 participant.

An Early Start for CJ Carr

A strong-armed, pro-style quarterback, Carr is already practicing with the Fighting Irish, although he is unable to play in the Sun Bowl.

“It’s just good to have him here and that comfort,” Irish head coach Marcus Freeman said. “As you move into the Winter, you move into the Spring ball, he’s not starting from ground zero. He knows what the expectations are. He’ll know where to go. He’ll be able to help those guys that are coming in January figure it out.”

As for his grandson’s choice of schools, Lloyd said, “I told everybody, ‘If he’s happy, I’m happy.”

Lloyd led the Wolverines to their last national title in 1997. He retired in 2008 with a 122-40 record.