McGinn
3. JAXSON DART, Mississippi (6-2, 223, no 40, 2): Fashioned a 28-10 record as a three-year starter at Ole Miss. "He's a guy you take late in the second round or in the third," said one scout. "I don't believe this hocus-pocus about putting him in the first but stranger things have happened. We all know that." Started three games as a true freshman at Southern Cal in 2021 before transferring. "I might take Jaxson over Shedeur," a second scout said. "He's got a lot more moxie and quick-mindedness. He's got a good arm, not a great arm. He kind of heaves it deep. That's the thing. He can't really drive stuff. But quick passing game, he's good. He reminded me of a mini-Drew Lock or Gardner Minshew, one of those wildish throwing dudes that do enough to entice you but ultimately aren't that great. Somebody will take him second round. He might be the best athlete of all these guys. Cam is a better functional quarterback but if they just jumped and ran he'd have the best workout numbers." In 2023, he led the Rebels to their first 11-win season (11-2). In 2024, he won the Conerly Trophy as the best football player in the state of Mississippi. "He probably is third (best) but in the last five minutes of the Florida game (Nov. 23) he threw three interceptions — with their season on the line," said a third scout. "So I think it's a bit of a fabrication. He's a good athlete, not a great athlete. He's a good passer, not a great passer. I never walked out of the stadium or off the practice field saying, 'Oh my God, that's the guy we've got to have.' He's OK. He'd be fun to work with maybe and see what's there. Is he better than Matt Corral? Yeah. Matt went in the third round (2022) and was a retread thrower at the (2025) combine. His value would be incredible in the fourth, but to take him in the second or third means you're saying he's your starter in the future. I think the chances of that are low." Career passer rating was 106.6. Rushed for 1,541 yards (3.9) and 14 TDs. Hands were 9 ½. "You add up the sum of the parts, they're pretty good," a fourth scout said. "Good athlete, runs well. I'd put him in the 4.7 range. He can make plays outside the pocket with his feet. He's accurate, gets the ball out and is tough. His arm's good enough." Gatorade National Player of the Year in 2020. All-state twice in baseball. Finalist for the Campbell Trophy, known as the academic Heisman. From Kaysville, Utah.
NFL People
Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss
Size: 6' 2¼ ", 223 pounds
Traits comp: Baker Mayfield with less arm
Dart started games as a true freshman at USC, then transferred and started the past three years at Ole Miss—and, as such, there were some preconceived notions for the coaches on what a guy coming out of two spread offenses would be like. But over time, a few of the guys I talked to had really warmed up to the 21-year-old.
"I wrote down Baker Mayfield watching him," says an AFC coordinator. "He plays smart, instinctive. The more I watched, I found myself liking him more and more. I don't think I had a great idea of what to expect, but I kept liking what I was seeing, writing down positives. I think the guy can freaking play."
"He's not Penix in terms of arm talent. But good touch, anticipation. I see Baker in the instincts, the intermediate game. I like Jaxson. He'd probably be my top guy behind Ward."
- An NFC quarterbacks coach on Dart
Perhaps the biggest misconception that started to crumble was the idea that Lane Kiffin had him exclusively running a simplistic, rudimentary spread offense. Kiffin, over Dart's three years running the show, started to move the offense back to his own West Coast roots, and it looked to coaches like it was because he had a quarterback who could handle it. "I can see that," says another AFC coordinator. "Some old-school West Coast concepts that he hadn't run with his previous quarterbacks."
And, at least on tape, he responded by evolving as a quarterback. In the types of spots where coaches saw Sanders bailing out of the back of the pocket, they saw Dart climbing through it, with his eyes downfield. They also, by the end, caught him manipulating defenses.
"There are a couple clips that come to mind where he uses his eyes to move a zone defender," says the first coordinator. "He knows the guy is looking at him, so he takes advantage of that—it's pretty high-level stuff."
Now, where the Mayfield comp breaks down a bit, which four different coaches raised independent of one another, is on physical ability. While Dart has a similar shorter, stout build to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback, and a lot of play-style parallels, he lacks Mayfield's howitzer arm. And that's where the questions with Dart really take off, in whether he has the physical traits to ascend to be an above-average NFL starter.
"I was struggling with Dart big-time; I think he's probably a backup," says an NFC coordinator. "I had a hard time seeing him as a guy you can build around. His arm is O.K.; he has just enough athleticism. That offense, Lane does a good job getting the quarterback clean looks. But any time he had to progress, and feel the pocket close and make tough throws out of a tight pocket, I didn't see it. ... I don't see the physical ability."
And even if there has been evolution in Kiffin's offense, which is coordinated by Charlie Weis Jr. at Ole Miss, there will still be an adjustment from a QB-friendly college scheme. "To his credit, it's not an easy offense to run, how Lane was running it," says a third AFC coordinator. "But then what are you trying to do with him if he's going to play right away? He has very few plays under center in play-action."
There were also, in the words of a fourth AFC coordinator, "some bad decisions in big moments—a really bad interception against Florida, which I think is part of the package, in that he's got some gamer to him." But, overall, there's a guy here who seems to be a Day 2-ish talent who'll get pushed up a bit by the quality [or lack thereof] of the class.
"He's still not a natural thrower, there's some stiffness, and he was a wing-T quarterback in high school," says an NFC quarterbacks coach. "But he throws with anticipation, generally puts the ball in good spots, he's a good athlete, big kid, tough. I think he'd be a good pick if you have a guy that's just O.K. He's not Penix in terms of arm talent. But good touch, anticipation. I see Baker in the instincts, the intermediate game. I like Jaxson. He'd probably be my top guy behind Ward."
NFL People
Rank
3
Jaxson Dart
Jaxson Dart
Mississippi · Senior
PROJECTED: Round 1-2
A three-year starter at Ole Miss, Dart earned first-team All-SEC honors last fall while leading the Rebels to a second straight double-digit-win season and ranking among the nation's most productive passers in Lane Kiffin's QB-friendly spread offense. "He's very accurate. He's sneaky athletic. He makes a lot of plays," an AFC quarterbacks coach said. "He kind of reminds me of [Michael Penix Jr.] last year. I feel like (Dart is) a little bit better thrower, he has a little more arm strength. If I had the No. 1 pick and I had to pick a guy and my job was on the line, I would try to get Jaxson Dart in the conversation." Said an NFC coordinator: "I was watching the receiver (fellow Ole Miss draft prospect Tre Harris), and multiple times, I was like, Whoa, who's the quarterback? Let me rewind that and see that f---ing throw. Jaxson is a better runner than both Cam and Sanders. He has real athletic ability, where those guys don't at this level. And I think Jaxson plays on time more and has probably a little bit more arm ability. He's more consistent from the pocket."
In 45 college games (41 starts), Dart completed 65.2 percent of his passes for 11,970 yards and 81 touchdowns with 27 interceptions. He ran for another 1,543 yards and 14 TDs. "The dude is a competitor," an AFC coordinator said. "He's tough. He's got a plenty-strong arm. When he throws like a 15-yard out route to the field, it'll flutter a little bit, but it gets to where it needs to go to on time and in rhythm. The stuff he does with his legs and then getting extra yards and taking hits, competes, makes all the throws. Some guys throw missiles and they sometimes can be hard to catch; Jaxson Dart throws a friendly ball." Several coaches and executives ranked Sanders behind Dart, who is bigger (6-2 1/4, 223 with 9 1/2-inch hands), played against tougher competition in the SEC and was 28-10 as Mississippi's starter. "Dart is the toughest motherf----- there is," an AFC GM said. "He makes all the throws. He's got everything you want. But then he just does some dumb things. I think if you put him in the right system and use his athletic traits and his toughness and let him throw the ball 20 to 25 times until he learns the game more, learns to lead more and all that, you could have something. But this kid could also be Will Levis 2.0."
Kiffin chewed out Dart on the sideline and called him out publicly for his final snap in an Ole Miss uniform: A 69-yard touchdown pass that Dart checked to with the Rebel already up 31 points in the closing minutes of their Gator Bowl win and Kiffin trying to run out the clock. "There's still probably some lack of maturity to his game," an AFC scout said. "Some of the flash and swagger with the face paint, the chest beating. He's a guy you probably are still gonna have some bumpers around him and he's going to need some coaching. You look at that last game against Duke, his own head coach is like, Hey, he's kind of a knucklehead, and he checks to a pass and throws another touchdown. He can probably get a little off script. You're gonna have to rein him in."
The 2020 Gatorade National Player of the Year as a high schooler, Dart played one year at USC (six games/three starts) before transferring to Ole Miss. Under Kiffin, he ran an offense that also turned Jonathan Crompton, Matt Barkley and Matt Corral into NFL draft picks. None went in the first round or became NFL starters. "I could teach my dog to f---ing run those concepts," an AFC executive said. "[Kiffin] makes it very simple." However, coaches say they saw more on tape with Dart running the show. "[Kiffin] has actually gotten back to some of his old-school West Coast roots, doing some more conceptual stuff," a third AFC coordinator said. "I think it has to do with the fact that he trusts the guy. [Dart]'s got a little s--- to him, too. He plays like Baker (Mayfield) -- he just doesn't throw it quite as good as Baker does." Said an NFC assistant coach: "He's accurate on the short and intermediate pass game, can anticipate throws, smart, changes his arm angle, can get outside the pocket and make throws. He's got that athletic ability, too. If he just improves consistency with some of his lower-body stuff, he'll be really good from a technique standpoint. When he does miss, it's because those things are a little out of whack. He's got some big upside."
Is that enough for Dart to come off the board on Thursday night? One NFC GM said Dart would've been in the conversation with Penix and J.J. McCarthy as the fourth or fifth quarterback in last year's stacked QB draft, based on his arm and overall talent level. Another AFC quarterbacks coach predicted Dart doesn't get past New Orleans at No. 9 overall. "Dart just has some pretty cool intangibles," another AFC GM said. "I think he's going to go in Round 1."
Greg Cossell
COLLEGIATE PROSPECT EVALUATION SHEET
NAME/YEAR: JAXSON DART POSITION: QB COLLEGE: OLE MISS
HEIGHT: 6'2
¼"
WEIGHT: 223 NOTES: Hand size: 9 ½"
2023: ALABAMA, LSU, AUBURN, TEXAS A&M, PENN STATE, ALL TRE HARRIS + CADEN PRIESKORN
PASS TARGETS; 2024: WAKE FOREST, KENTUCKY, SOUTH CAROLINA, LSU, ARKANSAS, GEORGIA,
FLORIDA, DUKE
STRENGTHS:
• 2023 - Flashed an�cipa�on and precise ball placement on window throws between the numbers vs. zone
• Dropbacks in which he showed progression reading on basic route concepts, Used head and eyes effec�vely
• Gives offense the situa�onal designed QB run game: Zone read concepts, QB draw, QB gap scheme, QB sweep
• Showed a feel for avoiding and escaping pressure in the pocket, Snaps of pocket movement, re-se�ng pla�orm
• Plus mobility with the ability to make plays throwing and running outside of structure, Movement dimension
• Showed toughness in the pocket, Made throws in the face of pressure at �mes with free hiters running at him
• Efficient versus blitz, Knew where his quick answers were and got the ball out of his hands to the right receiver
• 2024 - At his best when he played with �ming and rhythm, More of an efficient executor and ball distributor
• Showed he could work through progressions with a good feel for elimina�on and isola�on within precise �ming
• Drop backs he showed excellent pocket pa�ence, allowing routes to develop and making late-in-the-down throws
• Pocket reps he maintained his mechanics and poise vs. pressure, delivering with �ming and ball placement
• Showed an aggressive throwing mentality, Consistently atacked one-on-one coverage, especially ver�cally
• Strong instances Dart recognized coverages pre-snap and checked-audibled at LOS, Experience in the system
• Plus-athlete who gives offense-designed QB run game situa�onally and makes second reac�on plays with legs
• Physical compe��ve runner willing to ini�ate contact when situa�onally demanded, Grity playing personality
WEAKNESSES:
• No experience callings plays in a huddle (a big deal) and almost no experience taking snaps under center
• Arm strength above average. He does not possess power arm that can drive the ball with higher level velocity
• Throws where his back foot came off the ground before he released the ball, Nega�ve impact on arm strength
• Plus athlete but not an explosive athlete, Can make plays with his legs but is not a true playmaking dimension
• Con�nues to need improvement working through progressions with more refined feel for routes re: coverage
• A lot of half field read concepts in Ole Miss pass game, If look wasn't clean Dart pulled the ball down and ran
• Could be a beat late on some clearly defined reads and throws, That needs to be cleaned up at the next level
• Will need to get beter feel for disguise and late coverage rota�on (all young QBs must go through this process)
TRANSITION:
2023 - Dart ran an Ole Miss offense that featured a good percentage of RPO concepts with defined reads that did not
demand progressions and he was consistently efficient execu�ng that offense but that will present ques�on-concerns re:
his ability to run a more detailed passing game with higher level progression reading concepts, What stood out was Dart
was not a consistently precise �ming and rhythm passer on more founda�onal 2 and 3 man route concepts that were
featured in the drop back pass game like hi-low concepts and that is an area he must improve in 2024, Dart has plus
athle�cism and second reac�on movement traits but for him to become a strong prospect and succeed at the next level
3
he must be a higher level ball distributor and efficient executor of a well-schemed passing game given that he has
somewhat limited arm talent; 2024 - Dart played in the same Lane Kiffin offense for 3 years and it was evident from his
tape that he was comfortable and composed with a refined understanding of the schematics of the system which focused
on no huddle tempo that more often than not eliminated pre-snap research of the defense with an emphasis being more
on rhythmic primary reads than higher level progression concepts, The Ole Miss offense featured multiple RPO concepts
and basic one read throws but there were also a good amount of staple NFL route concepts and combinations that
presented defined reads and throws for Dart which allowed him to play with a good sense of timing and decisiveness, One
element of Dart's game that consistently stood out and bodes well as you think about his transition to the NFL was his
willingness to attack man-to-man coverage especially outside the numbers, There was a toughness and competitiveness
to his game that consistently showed up in all phases and was particularly evident on late-in-the-down pocket throws in
the face of pressure; Dart is a plus athlete who can execute the designed QB run game situationally and he can get out of
the pocket both by design and outside of structure and that will enhance his transition to the next level (legs were a big
factor in the win versus Georgia), The questions-concerns with Dart as you project and transition him to the next level
arise from his arm strength limitations (can his arm get stronger as he matures in the NFL) and at this point limited
experience with the pre-snap phase of the game and progression reading capabilities, The foundation of Dart's game
must be higher level efficient execution of the passing scheme with precise ball distribution and that will be a work in
progress although he showed flashes at Ole Miss that suggest he could do that especially showing the ability to make
window throws versus zone coverage – The more tape I watched of Dart the more I feel he has a chance to develop into a
quality NFL starter in a system whose foundation is a balanced run game with play action and play action boot elements
that allow him to play rhythmically, His athleticism and mobility while not special will be a factor at the next level
OTHER:
• Dart came out of Utah as a coveted 4-star recruit and began his college career at USC, A�er one season he
transferred to Ole Miss where he started all 3 years and in 2024 was the First Team All-SEC QB throwing for more
4300 yards with 29 TD passes and only 6 intercep�ons
Ole Miss ran a well-schemed pass game that o�en defined the primary reads and throws for Dart but they featured staple
NFL concepts like flood and hi-low and double dig and scissors and 4 verts versus single high safety zone coverage – 13
yard TD versus Wake Forest good snapshot of Dart designed run element in the high red zone (Dart physicality as a
runner), Jordan Watkins 62 yard TD versus Arkansas great example of Dart throwing ver�cally outside the numbers
atacking the man-to-man coverage, Watkins 33 yards versus Georgia came on scissors concept, Tre Harris 43 yard TD
versus Florida came on deep post with Cayden Lee 22 yard TD also against Florida one of his best throws of 2024 on a
skinny post in the window versus 2 high safety zone coverage (Florida might have been Dart's best game of the season re:
quality throws); Watkins 51 yards versus Duke in the Gator Bowl was big-�me second reac�on movement throw by Dart
running to his le� and placing the ball perfectly almost 60 yards in the air
NFL.com
High school: 2020 Gatorade National Player of the Year. Led the nation with 4,691 passing yards and had Utah state record 67 passing TDs as a senior at Corner Canyon High School.
2021 (USC): Played in 6 games with 3 starts (117-189-61.9, 1,353 yards, 9 TDs, 5 INTs passing; 22-43-2.0, 2 TDs rushing).
2022: Played in all 13 games with 12 starts (226-362-62.4, 2,974 yards, 20 TDs, 11 INTs passing; 128-614-4.8, TD rushing).
2023: Started all 13 games (233-358-65.1, 3,364 yards, 23 TDs, 5 INTs passing; 119-391-3.3, 8 TDs rushing).
2024: First-team All-SEC. Set school career records with 10,617 passing yards, 12,115 yards of total offense. Led FBS with 10.8 yards per attempt, had 4,774 yards of total offense. Ranked third in FBS with 4,279 passing yards. Started all 13 games. Gator Bowl MVP (27-35, 404 yards, 4 TDs) in win over Duke.
Miscellaneous: Father, Brandon, played safety at Utah.
-- by Chad Reuter
Analysis
By Lance Zierlein
NFL Analyst
Draft Projection
Rounds 1-2
NFL Comparison
Gardner Minshew
Overview
Three-year SEC starter who saw improvement in play and production season after season. Dart has a stocky build and average physical attributes but good makeup and intangibles. He's fairly accurate and rarely overcomplicates things for himself. He won't strike anyone as a running quarterback, but he can find tough yards on the ground. He can make full-field reads but looks more comfortable grazing from the trough of the simple. He will need to work with better anticipation and decisiveness to win in tight windows as a pro. Teams might see physical and play similarities between Dart and Brock Purdy but such a pathway for Dart likely requires a balanced, ball-control passing attack that allows him to manage the game instead of driving it.
Strengths
Gets across the full field of progressions when he needs to.
Pretty good situational decision-maker on third downs.
Throws with adequate accuracy and drive velocity between the hashes.
Recognizes potential trouble and gets away from it.
Beats man coverage when making predetermined throws.
Very accurate with his back-shoulder fades.
Runs with early acceleration and vision in the open field.
Uses altered snap counts to draw defense into committing pre-snap penalties.
Weaknesses
Deep zone coverages slowed his momentum and consistency.
Has room for improvement with anticipatory throws versus zone.
Lazy footwork forces him into muscled throws at times.
Displayed inconsistencies with decisiveness in his reads.
Lacks delivery quickness to afford getting behind on progressions.
Throws feel very labored when he's forced to work off-platform.
Deep throws lack energy and force receivers to break stride.
SIS
Overall
Jaxson Dart is the QB in Ole Miss' spread RPO offense working exclusively out of the shotgun. The Rebels' high tempo offense uses a lot of quick-game concepts with screens, but also loves to take deep shots downfield off play action fakes. He played 1 year at USC before transferring to Ole Miss for his final 3 collegiate seasons as the starting QB. He started 41 of 45 games he has played in his career across both schools. He has the prototypical size and body composition for the position. Additionally, he is a good athlete with good speed in the open field as a runner. He also isn't afraid to fight for yardage when he runs, showing his leadership through his toughness on the field.
Pass Game
Dart is exceptional in the RPO game where he can get the ball out quickly and let his receivers make plays. He handles half-field reads well, but when he has to work through his progressions he can be late on some throws and struggles to identify open receivers. Dart has the ability to make all the throws wanted by NFL QBs and can access wide areas of the field when needed. He throws with good accuracy throwing to the back shoulder along the sideline where only his receiver can get to it. His deep ball accuracy can be spotty where he has overthrown receivers on occasion. He utilizes multiple platforms and arm angles to get the ball quickly out. He doesn't possess an elongated release, however, he does pat the ball once in his hand when he throws which can add some delays to his timing. He has taken very few snaps from under center, so he hasn't shown much as a traditional drop back passer that the NFL will require from him. / / He struggles to throw with anticipation, often waiting for receivers to get open, rather than leading and throwing them open. When under pressure, he throws too often off his back feet and will put the ball in dangerous places. His progression throughout a play in terms of reads usually ends at the 1st or 2nd read. After that, he tends to get anxious with his feet and will move out of the pocket even if it's somewhat clean. He does a good job with his accuracy on the move and has shown the ability to make good throws across his body and down the field if can't get set. He is better in clutch situations as a runner than a thrower but when he needs to throw to win games, his decision making takes a negative hit. He will press and tends to throw the ball into double and triple coverage as if he feels every throw is life or death.
Run Game
In the run game, Dart shows good mobility with enough speed to threaten the defense on QB designed runs or as a scrambler. With his capability to throw off-platform, he keeps defenders in limbo as he extends plays with his legs. On runs to the edge, he has some wiggle and his slippery movements can make defenders miss in space too. Due to his size and stature, he has the ability to absorb hits and body blows in between the tackles if he were to be used in short-yardage run situations. He does have a tendency to lower his head for more yards so a coaching staff will need to hone in his aggressiveness to keep him healthy.
Last Word
Dart projects as a circumstantial starter who has the traits and ability to develop into a sufficient "win-with" starting QB in the right system. Because of his experience and background in college, working in a quick-passing that utilizes RPOs and a good play-action game will benefit him the most. His athleticism, toughness, and arm strength are good building blocks to his game. However, he still needs to develop as a true under center QB who can make full field progressions, so going into an environment where he doesn't have to start games right away would be best for him.
More at link
https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1395
Brugler
BACKGROUND: Jaxson Dart, the oldest of four children, grew up in northern Utah, with his parents (Brandon and Kara), who are devout members
of the Church of Latter-day Saints. Brandon was an All-WAC safety for Kyle Whittingham (then the defensive coordinator) at Utah but battled
numerous injuries over seven seasons in college (1994-2000). Whittingham called Brandon "as instinctive a football player as I've ever been
around." Jaxson's younger brother (Diesel) plays wide receiver at Corner Canyon High and is part of the 2027 recruiting class.
Jaxson Dart was an avid athlete and outdoorsman growing up, and fishing was his "first love." He starred in multiple sports starting in elementary
school, including baseball, basketball, football, soccer and a number of water sports (water skiing, wakeboarding, surfing, etc.). Dart started training
with former BYU quarterback John Beck, then later with private coach Taylor Kelly (both part of 3DQB training organization), who has worked with
several current NFL quarterbacks, including Matthew Staford and Lamar Jackson.
Because freshmen didn't play varsity football at Davis High, the local high school in Kaysville, Utah, Dart transferred 15 minutes north and enrolled
at Roy High. He won the starting quarterback job on varsity as a freshman, beating out a senior, but missed the second half of the season because
of a right elbow injury. Dart earned all-region honors as a sophomore and led Roy to a 9-3 season, finishing with 2,161 passing yards and 23 total
touchdowns (17 passing, six rushing). As a junior, he again led Roy to the 6A state playofs, completing 64.4 percent of his passes for 2,440 yards
and 22 touchdowns and again earning all-region honors. With Roy running a single-wing ofense, Dart transferred for his senior season to Corner
THE BEAST | BACK TO TABLE OF CONTENTS 7
Canyon High, a championship-level program with a roster that included FBS recruits such as Jackson Powers-Johnson (now with the Las Vegas
Raiders). Dart led Corner Canyon to an undefeated 14-0 record, including the 2020 6A state championship, and was named Gatorade National
Football Player of the Year and a National All-American. He completed 69.6 percent of his passes for 4,691 yards and a state-record 67
touchdowns (with only four interceptions), plus added 1,195 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns. Dart also lettered in baseball and basketball
in high school, twice earning all-state honors on the diamond.
A four-star recruit, Dart was the 10th-ranked quarterback in the 2021 recruiting class and the No. 2 recruit in Utah (one spot behind Kingsley
Suamataia; one spot ahead of Powers-Johnson). Between Roy's run-heavy ofense and his focus on baseball in the ofseason, Dart was
underrecruited over his first three years of high school. He received his first Division I ofer after his junior season from Yale, followed by his first
FBS ofer from Louisiana. After he transferred to Corner Canyon, he received a fourth star and his recruitment blew up with ofers from Arizona
State, Iowa State, TCU and UCLA. But an ofer from USC in October 2020 most interested him. Dart committed to former head coach Clay Helton
during the early signing period and enrolled in January 2021. He beat out fellow four-star freshman Miller Moss for the backup job behind starter
Kedon Slovis and was pressed into action in Week 3, throwing for 391 yards (USC record for a debut). He sufered a knee injury and missed the
next four games before returning for the final month of the 2021 season.
USC fired Helton during the 2021 season and hired Lincoln Riley as head coach. Dart was hoping to stay at USC, but when Caleb Williams followed
Riley to USC, he entered the transfer portal (Brandon Dart: "Jaxson didn't want to leave USC. ... It was a decision he felt forced to make."). Dart
narrowed his destination to a handful of places, and he and his family visited only three schools (BYU, Oklahoma, Ole Miss). Ultimately, Dart
committed to Lane Kifn and the Rebels in January 2022. He was one of the highest NIL earners in college football last season (reportedly
estimated at around $1.7 million). Dart was a finalist for the 2024 William V. Campbell Trophy ("academic Heisman") with a 3.71 GPA as a business
major. He accepted his invitation to the Senior Bowl and was voted the American Team's top quarterback during the week of practice.
YEAR (GP/GS) CP-ATT CP% YDS TD INT CAR YDS AVG TD NOTES
2021: (6/3) 117-189 61.9 1,353 9 5 22 43 1.95 2 USC; bowl game MVP; UCF freshman passing records; enrolled January
2019
2022: (13/12) 226-362 62.4 2,974 20 11 128 614 4.80 1 Ole Miss; enrolled January 2022
2023: (13/13) 233-358 65.1 3,364 23 5 119 391 3.29 8 Ole Miss
2024: (13/13) 276-398 69.3 4,279 29 6 124 495 3.99 3 Ole Miss; First Team All-SEC; led SEC in passing yards (school record)
Total: (45/41) 852-1307 65.2 11,970 81 27 393 1,543 3.93 14
HT WT HAND ARM WING 40-YD 20-YD 10-YD VJ BJ SS 3C NOTES
COMBINE 6022 223 9 1/2 30 72 7/8 DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP Pos. drills only (choice)
PRO DAY 6023 221 9 1/2 30 7/8 73 1/8 DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP
STRENGTHS:
● Good-sized athlete with solid body mass
● Throws catchable ball and can drive passes outside numbers
● Able to change arm angles without sacrificing rpm
● Accuracy improved as senior — looked more confident putting the ball where he wanted
● Willing vertical passer — led FBS in yards per attempt (10.8) and completions of 10 yards or more (74) in 2024
● Comfortable maneuvering in the pocket with bodies all around him
● With his mobility, designed runs were central part of Rebels ofense
● Finishes like a running back when he takes of and runs (JJ Pegues: "He's the most competitive guy I've ever seen.")
● Teammates praise his leadership and say he "brings the juice" every day (Princely Umanmielen: "The quarterbacks at my past schools kept to
themselves or only talked to the ofensive guys, but Jaxson connects with everyone.")
● Production didn't decline after losing his No. 1 receiver (Tre Harris) over second half of 2024
● Most passing yards in a season (4,279) and career (10,617), surpassing Eli Manning's school record
WEAKNESSES:
● Occasions when he made full-field progressions and backside reads — you just wish it happened more on tape
● Likes to see things before firing — needs to improve passing anticipation to get throws out a half-second faster
● Bad habit of dropping eyes when he starts to feel heat (45 scrambles in 2024)
● Gives his guys a chance on deep balls but placement can be better
● Benefited from heavy play-action ofense (No. 1 in FBS with 252 play-action dropbacks in 2024)
● Commendable toughness but holds ball too long and takes a lot of bruising hits
● Stayed healthy at Ole Miss but had prior injuries: torn meniscus and MCL sprain in right knee (Sept. 2021), which caused him to miss four
games; medial epicondyle fracture and UCL tear in throwing (right) elbow as freshman in high school, which required surgery
SUMMARY: A three-year starter at Ole Miss, Dart thrived in ofensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr.'s spread RPO, heavy play-action scheme (No. 1 in
passing EPA per dropback in 2024). After transferring out of USC once Caleb Williams arrived, he found a home with Lane Kifn and left Oxford
with numerous season and career records, including the Rebels' all-time lead in wins (28), passing yards (10,617) and total ofense (12,117).
THE BEAST | BACK TO TABLE OF CONTENTS 8
With his physical tools and rhythm passing, he was an ideal fit in Kifn's quarterback-friendly ofense, although the simplistic nature of the scheme
leaves NFL scouts questioning his post-snap decision-making process when reads aren't as structured and predetermined. The other key concern
is his tendency to prematurely drop his eyes once the pocket gets heated. However, his athleticism to buy time and scramble for positive yards is
an asset. Overall, Dart needs time to develop his progression-based reads and anticipation (things he wasn't asked to regularly do in college),
but he is a natural thrower of the football with promising mobility and high-level competitive intangibles. If allowed to develop at his own pace,
he ofers NFL starting upside in the right situation.
GRADE: 2nd round (No. 49 overall)
The 33rd Team
@The33rdTeamFB
"Dart has a slew of promising physical skills that should be given the opportunity to develop at the next level. When he's in rhythm and on time, he spins a beautiful football and can lace throws in the middle of the field or vertically on big shot plays."
@KyleCrabbs
breaks down the tape on Giants QB Jaxson Dart 🔷
"Enough athleticism complements these skills to get outside the pocket and extend plays with his legs or change the launch point as a means of allowing deeper progressions to develop. With that in mind, his evaluation is a complex one on account of both the dynamics of his offense and his play style.
It is easy to appreciate and respect Dart's toughness. His willingness to hang in the pocket when he feels he has a throw developing exposes him to some nasty hits, but generally speaking, he does put the ball out there for his receivers to make a play if Dart feels the pressure coming.
Still, his process vs. pressure is not particularly efficient, and his overall performance in this area looms as a big spot for growth. Too often, Dart will drop his eyes when he feels a collapsing pocket and miss opportunities to make easier throws, and even more frustrating are the times when he locks onto a primary read and does not work through his targets to locate secondary options with the football to avoid hits or sacks.
Given the spacing he is afforded in a spread offense at Ole Miss, these issues only compound at the NFL level when the field is more compressed, and the action happens faster."
https://x.com/BobbySkinner_/status/1915601809554440236
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GpWY9UrW0AA2Shl?format=jpg&name=large)
https://x.com/BobbySkinner_/status/1915606716395200940
https://x.com/BaldyNFL/status/1915602910735720680
https://x.com/danorlovsky7/status/1915813087245947374