The rivalry between Miami and Notre Dame may not have the history or prestige of Ohio State-Michigan or Texas-Oklahoma, but there is plenty of bad blood between the two programs — and elite NFL talent on both sides.
All eyes were on the quarterback showdown between Notre Dame’s CJ Carr and Miami’s Darian Mensah, two Heisman contenders and 2027 NFL Draft prospects.
Carr was spectacular from start to finish on Saturday night, while Mensah looked like a future pro in the second half. The result? A riveting back-and-forth affair that ended with a 31-24 victory for the Fighting Irish.
For those who don’t recall, Miami’s victory over Notre Dame in last year’s season opener was often cited as the reason the Hurricanes made the College Football Playoff while the Irish were left out. And longtime college football fans might remember the “Catholics vs. Convicts” era of the 1980s, when these two legendary programs routinely battled for national championships.
With a nod to the past and an eye toward the future, here are my takeaways from Notre Dame’s win over Miami, with an NFL twist. These four prospects are ranked in the order in which I would currently select them if I were building an NFL roster.
1. Notre Dame CB Leonard Moore Is A Special Talent
Leonard Moore recorded four tackles in Notre Dame’s win over Miami. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
It isn’t often that in a game pitting two potential first-round quarterbacks, that it is a cornerback who deservedly earns top billing – especially one coming off an injury that sidelined him the previous week.
But then again, Notre Dame CB Leonard Moore is a special talent, checking in at third overall on my personal Top 50 Big Board.
This game had all the makings of a “Get Your Popcorn Ready” showdown between Moore and Miami super-sophomore wide receiver Malachi Toney. But when Toney was ruled out with an injury, the question quickly became: Could the Hurricanes move the ball through the air against Moore and Notre Dame’s lockdown defense?
Over nearly a thousand snaps in coverage over his three seasons as a starter for the Irish, Moore has intercepted more passes (seven) than he’s been beaten for touchdowns (five). Heading into Saturday’s game, Moore had only allowed eight receptions of any kind this season, with none of them in the end zone.
Moore wasn’t perfect on Saturday, but when the All-American cornerback was forced to miss several drives in the second half after reportedly getting poked in the eye, Mensah and the Hurricanes began to mount a comeback.
It quickly became apparent how much Notre Dame’s defense missed Moore’s size, speed and elite coverage skills. His height and long arms allow him to disrupt receivers at the line of scrimmage in press coverage, throwing off their timing with quarterbacks. Miami wide receiver Cooper Barkate took advantage of Moore’s absence, hauling in a pair of second-half touchdowns — one on a corner fade and the other on a quick slant.
Moore eventually returned and immediately made his presence felt. He’s the quarterback of the Irish defense, processing the game like a signal-caller and recognizing routes as they develop around him.
It’s easy to venture into hyperbole when evaluating a prospect like Moore.
But what truly makes him extraordinary in coverage is his awareness and change-of-direction ability, especially for a cornerback of his size. He turns, locates the football and attacks it as if it were intended for him all along.
One of the ways that good teams try to combat star cornerbacks like Moore is to send their primary responsibility deep and then attack the space created with shallow crossing routes.
Moore reads these like an editor, trusting his teammates to pick up the deep target and smartly attacking downhill to blow up seemingly well-designed quick-hitters.
Simply put: Moore is a strong bet to be a top-five pick and a future All-Pro in the NFL.
2. CJ Carr Shows Why He’s An Elite Deep-Ball Passer
CJ Carr threw for 319 yards and three touchdowns in Notre Dame’s victory over Miami. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
As the trigger-man behind Notre Dame’s 8-1 start, Carr has become a trendy first-round projection. While well protected behind one of the best offensive lines in college football, Carr doesn’t have the benefit of elite speed and playmaking ability at the receiver position that some of the other top-rated quarterbacks across the country boast, including Mensah. Despite that, Carr has impressed this season, emerging as one of this year’s best deep-ball passers.
Scouts can check a lot of boxes with the strong-armed Carr. He can stretch the field with precise deep shots down the sidelines and if one of his receivers breaks free late, he delivers the ball on a line.
Check out this deep shot Carr delivered to wide receiver Jordan Faison early in the second quarter.
While true vertical routes can create fun highlights, the majority of throws in today’s NFL are short and intermediate tosses. This is an area in which Carr excels. Watch him go through his progressions and then throw a dart to wide receiver Micah Gilbert over the middle. These throws translate well to the pro game.
Carr comes with the intangibles scouts are looking for at the quarterback position. As the grandson of former Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr, he grew up around the game. He plays with a quiet confidence and composure that make him more pro-ready than his 21 career starts might suggest.
That said, Carr’s relative inexperience shows up at times. He can get a bit lackadaisical with his reads and occasionally will throw off his back foot, spraying the ball slightly and sapping some of its velocity. Think of a golfer raising their head in anticipation of a picturesque drive – only to top the ball and plant it into the grass.
Carr’s mistakes appear correctable with coaching and time. Should he elect to enter the 2027 draft, he has a solid chance at being a first-round selection.
3. Darian Mensah Is a ‘Coach’s-Kind-Of-QB’
Miami QB Darian Mensah threw for 276 yards, three touchdowns and an interception in the Hurricanes’ loss to Notre Dame. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
It feels disrespectful to list Mensah this low because he is playing at a Heisman-worthy level and may wind up being selected in the first round this spring.
Like Carr, Mensah is the type of quarterback that coaches are going to like more than the scouts. His “secret sauce” lies with his pre- and post-snap recognition of the defense rather than elite physical traits. He has a relatively slim build, for example, and possesses relatively average arm strength.
Notre Dame challenged Mensah to make plenty of difficult throws on Saturday night and forced him into throwing just his second interception this season.
But rather than getting caught up with Mensah’s perceived weaknesses, scouts should focus on his many strengths.
While he may lack a howitzer, Mensah throws the ball with great anticipation and accuracy. He has pillow-soft touch, lofting the ball with ideal trajectory to allow his receiver room to operate. Just take a look at this touchdown throw from Mensah to tight end Elija Lofton.
Mensah further inspires his teammates with his own gutty play. He plays with poise and impressive spatial awareness, “feeling” the pocket collapsing around him and sliding up and around while keeping his eyes downfield. While his coaches would probably prefer that he slide to avoid contact, Mensah is a competitor who isn’t afraid to barrel into defenders to earn tough yards as a runner or absorb a big hit and deliver a strike.
4. Mark Fletcher Is Sneaky Fast — But We Didn’t See It
Miami running back Mark Fletcher Jr. carried the ball 13 times for 57 yards against Notre Dame. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
There is no sense in sugarcoating it — the high ankle sprain and resulting surgery for Toney was a massive blow for Miami.
The Hurricanes tried to establish their ground game Saturday night and get the ball into the hands of their proven difference-maker, running back Mark Fletcher Jr. But finding running room against Notre Dame’s stout defense was no easy task.
When it comes to his NFL Draft profile, the first thing that stands out with Fletcher is his unusual size. Usually, when a player’s size is listed as a potential concern, it is because they are too small. With Fletcher, it is the opposite. He is a couple of inches taller than scouts would prefer at running back, theoretically giving defenders an extra-large target.
While he may stand taller than most running backs, Fletcher runs with impressive pad level in traffic and his long strides make him deceptively fast. He has surprisingly quick feet and greasy knees. He is quick to and through the line of scrimmage, brushing past arm tackles and gaining yardage in chunks, including this 27-yard carry late in the first half against Notre Dame.
Fletcher is a big back who plays big, pummeling defenders and often carrying multiple opponents before he is tackled. Lots of backs run hard but too often they get stood up and lose the ball when multiple defenders are prying at it. Fletcher runs with the security of an armored truck, losing just one fumble in 545 rushing attempts over his college career. Given his size and ball security, it shouldn’t surprise you that he feasts in the red zone with 27 of his 35 career touchdown runs coming from 10-yards or closer.
And his girth doesn’t just show up as a runner. Fletcher shows excellent awareness, power and technique as a blocker, as well. Whether it be in pass protection or serving as a lead blocker for teammates, Fletcher takes this element of the game seriously.
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