Big Blue Huddle

https://x.com/SmartfootbalI/status/1895961923885445516

https://www.pff.com/news/draft-kosko-why-jaxson-dart-should-be-a-top-15-player-in-the-2025-nfl-draft-class


Why Dart should be a top 15 prospect per PFF. Echoes a lot of what a few of us have been saying for a month + now.

Has Jaxson Dart shown enough to elevate himself to be the #2 QB in this Draft, passing Sanders?

Sanders was playing with a bad Offensive Line, poor creative play calling with no motion and little talent except for Hunter. It caused him to bail the pocket early, and miss opportunities. Still, he didn't participate in the Senior Bowl or the Combine and quite frankly, he can't explain that away to me. He had to be afraid of competing. He has velocity issues and although he's very accurate, he left a lot on the field taking too many sacks.

I do believe Dart should be considered #2. Furthermore he drives the ball downfield, while Ward is content with quick outs and passes outside the numbers.

I still think Ward goes off first and he's separated himself from the rest because of his arm and release. He's prone to wtf moments but he's the total package with a high ceiling.

I think Ward and Dart fit Daboll's system very well and can be starting by mid season.

I think the league sees Ward as a top three pick. Sanders as a mid first round pick and perhaps Dart has moved near him or slightly ahead.

Since QBs are a premium, I can see Howard and Leonard sneaking into the first round or early second.

Thoughts?

I haven't watched anything from the combine, and I also watched very little college football this past season. But one thing I've learned over the years Ed, when you talk draft-eligible college QB's I sit up and listen.

Quote from: Ed Vette on March 01, 2025, 10:53:03 PMHas Jaxson Dart shown enough to elevate himself to be the #2 QB in this Draft, passing Sanders?

Sanders was playing with a bad Offensive Line, poor creative play calling with no motion and little talent except for Hunter. It caused him to bail the pocket early, and miss opportunities. Still, he didn't participate in the Senior Bowl or the Combine and quite frankly, he can't explain that away to me. He had to be afraid of competing. He has velocity issues and although he's very accurate, he left a lot on the field taking too many sacks.

I do believe Dart should be considered #2. Furthermore he drives the ball downfield, while Ward is content with quick outs and passes outside the numbers.

I still think Ward goes off first and he's separated himself from the rest because of his arm and release. He's prone to wtf moments but he's the total package with a high ceiling.

I think Ward and Dart fit Daboll's system very well and can be starting by mid season.

I think the league sees Ward as a top three pick. Sanders as a mid first round pick and perhaps Dart has moved near him or slightly ahead.

Since QBs are a premium, I can see Howard and Leonard sneaking into the first round or early second.

Thoughts?

My thoughts are Ward is a clear 1 now. I think Sanders goes is "1A" and still goes in Rd 1, but has a lot of questions as a #1 pick. I think Ewers and Slough helped themselves today, and Dart maintained his status. I can see all 3 going on Day 2. I also thought that McCord and Gabriel reinforced the issues with arm strength that scouts thought going into the combine, and Howard and Milroe really hurt themselves with accuracy issues.

Lindsay Rhodes
@lindsay_rhodes
As I leave Indy 👋🏼...a thread of my takeaways:

1. Cam Ward is more highly regarded than I previously thought.

People I talked to, rattled off- comfortably- quite a few things they liked about him as a prospect.

I wouldn't be surprised if he went #1.

2. I think the gap between Ward and Shedeur Sanders is bigger than it's being described.

A "chasm",
@mikerenner_
 called it. (He thinks Sanders is closer to Dart than Ward.)

I didn't talk to anyone who had him as their QB1.

And *everyone* I talked to about why he might go in the top 5 mentioned "QB needy teams" as the top reason.

That feels like poor process to me. Risky.

I wouldn't be surprised if he went later than expected.

Here are QB throwing grades By Chris Trapasso


https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/news/2025-nfl-combine-grades-for-top-qb-prospects-plus-winners-and-losers-from-on-field-workouts/

https://x.com/LRiddickESPN/status/1896022856208925129

Quote from: Ed Vette on March 01, 2025, 10:53:03 PMHas Jaxson Dart shown enough to elevate himself to be the #2 QB in this Draft, passing Sanders?

Sanders was playing with a bad Offensive Line, poor creative play calling with no motion and little talent except for Hunter. It caused him to bail the pocket early, and miss opportunities. Still, he didn't participate in the Senior Bowl or the Combine and quite frankly, he can't explain that away to me. He had to be afraid of competing. He has velocity issues and although he's very accurate, he left a lot on the field taking too many sacks.

I do believe Dart should be considered #2. Furthermore he drives the ball downfield, while Ward is content with quick outs and passes outside the numbers.

I still think Ward goes off first and he's separated himself from the rest because of his arm and release. He's prone to wtf moments but he's the total package with a high ceiling.

I think Ward and Dart fit Daboll's system very well and can be starting by mid season.

I think the league sees Ward as a top three pick. Sanders as a mid first round pick and perhaps Dart has moved near him or slightly ahead.

Since QBs are a premium, I can see Howard and Leonard sneaking into the first round or early second.

Thoughts?

I think Ward is the clear-cut number one QB.  If the Giants want him they will need to trade up to the top pick.

If the Giants want Dart, they will have to take him at 3.

I have no use for Sanders.  I think the reason he didn't throw at the Combine is his lack of arm strength would have become readily apparent.

I would be tempted to take Shough with the 2nd pick

Howard intrigues me as a 3rd rounder who has maybe starter potential, (perhaps I put Leonard along with him)

I think the rest will prove to be backups.

At this point, I see a consensus developing that Ward may go top 3, Sanders top 15 and Dart maybe in round 2.  His stats have baked in them too many primary read throws which is not how the NFL defense is set up as it is too tight a coverage.  I think folks think his read progression is not far enough along. 

Quote from: VanPelt on March 01, 2025, 11:17:13 PMMy thoughts are Ward is a clear 1 now. I think Sanders goes is "1A" and still goes in Rd 1, but has a lot of questions as a #1 pick. I think Ewers and Slough helped themselves today, and Dart maintained his status. I can see all 3 going on Day 2. I also thought that McCord and Gabriel reinforced the issues with arm strength that scouts thought going into the combine, and Howard and Milroe really hurt themselves with accuracy issues.

I forgot about Ewers. I tend to dismiss him but he has support out there and he has a strong arm.

Quote from: Ed Vette on March 02, 2025, 08:50:32 AMI forgot about Ewers. I tend to dismiss him but he has support out there and he has a strong arm.

Ewers interests me a little bit. I can't say I have any sort of strong conviction on him but there are things about his game I like.

Quote from: MightyGiants on March 02, 2025, 08:43:49 AMI think Ward is the clear-cut number one QB.  If the Giants want him they will need to trade up to the top pick.

If the Giants want Dart, they will have to take him at 3.

I have no use for Sanders.  I think the reason he didn't throw at the Combine is his lack of arm strength would have become readily apparent.

I would be tempted to take Shough with the 2nd pick

Howard intrigues me as a 3rd rounder who has maybe starter potential, (perhaps I put Leonard along with him)

I think the rest will prove to be backups.

Sanders would have been a good fit for Denver. He's a system QB. His supporting cast was crap. Especially his Oline and that Offensive playbook. Leonard and Shough impressed me. Although Leonard takes me back to his failures on the field in games and I don't know Shough at all.

Quote from: DaveBrown74 on March 02, 2025, 08:56:35 AMEwers interests me a little bit. I can't say I have any sort of strong conviction on him but there are things about his game I like.

He takes me back to his game day failures too.

Leonard is a big kid who moves incredibly well for his size (think Josh Allen) but the arm talent is really lacking. I watched every ND game this year but maybe one. He brings plenty to the table but he'd give fans fits with his ability to make plays with his arm. I'd could see him in something of a Taysom Hill type role perhaps but not an every down QB.