Cam Ward VS Shedeur Sanders VS Jaxson Dart

[MightyGiants]

Wrong. I was making a comparison on how QB prospects sometimes rise late in the draft process. It has nothing to do with their resumes as college players. Dart has consistently been seen as a second round prospect for the NFL draft. Now after the Senior Bowl and combine some (but most don't) as possibly a top ten pick. It's similar to the Jones scenario. Absolutely nothing to do with their college careers.

If my memory serves, Daniel Jones didn't "rise late."   That's part of the reason there was so much animosity generated over the pick.  While the Giants saw him as a first-round pick, the draft community saw him as a day-two pick.

When a player like Dart starts to rise in the draft community, it's because the Senior Bowl is the first chance for football pundits and the draft community to start to mingle with the NFL professionals.  Usually, players will rise or fall based on what they hear from the NFL people.

Besides Dart being a far more accomplished player than Daniel Jones, their draft stories are not truly similar.

[MightyGiants]

Former GM Mike Tannenbaum did a mock draft where the Giants get Sander:

3. New York Giants
Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado

While the Giants have other massive weaknesses -- including the offensive line -- they can't pass on Sanders. And that still rings true after Friday's signing of Jameis Winston, who is at best a stopgap starter for New York. Sanders is incredibly tough, can make all the throws, processes reads quickly in the pocket and delivers accurate balls. He lacks high-end mobility but still shows good pocket movement traits.

I'm calling it now: Sanders projects as a top-15, maybe even top-12 starting QB in the NFL. That would be huge for a Giants franchise that ranked in the bottom five in just about every passing metric over the past two seasons.

Here's the thing, I remember having discussions with people here who insist that such a ranking isn't good enough, that it's top 10 or bust (some demanding top 5).

[Gmo11]

Former GM Mike Tannenbaum did a mock draft where the Giants get Sander:

3. New York Giants
Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado


Here's the thing, I remember having discussions with people here who insist that such a ranking isn't good enough, that it's top 10 or bust (some demanding top 5).

It does get me thinking....if Sanders ends up as a QB around let's say 12th or so in the NFL.  So basically very good though not great.  Is he going to be toasted around these and other parts as a bust?  Because on the one hand if he's taken at 3 you expect him to be a special special talent but on the other hand the 12th best QB in the league is light years better than anything they've had since Eli and plenty good enough to win with.

[MightyGiants]

Tyler Schough

https://x.com/TonyPauline/status/1904568355693998497

[katkavage]

If my memory serves, Daniel Jones didn't "rise late."   That's part of the reason there was so much animosity generated over the pick.  While the Giants saw him as a first-round pick, the draft community saw him as a day-two pick.

When a player like Dart starts to rise in the draft community, it's because the Senior Bowl is the first chance for football pundits and the draft community to start to mingle with the NFL professionals.  Usually, players will rise or fall based on what they hear from the NFL people.

Besides Dart being a far more accomplished player than Daniel Jones, their draft stories are not truly similar.

Not identical, but similar. Both were never projected to be first round picks.

[Ed Vette]

There's a difference between rising late and where players actually get picked. Dart is rising late because for one reason as Rich said. "When a player like Dart starts to rise in the draft community, it's because the Senior Bowl is the first chance for football pundits and the draft community to start to mingle with the NFL professionals.  Usually, players will rise or fall based on what they hear from the NFL people."

Another reason is that other players who were not hyped up to that point get noticed, and more study is put into them with online evaluations and Podcasts. There was nothing that Dart did at the Combine or Senior Bowl that made him "clearly" stand out.

However, some teams and their GMs are influenced heavily by the Combine and Senior/Shriners weeks. Anthony Richardson's Combine workouts weighed heavily in Indy's decision to draft him so high. In the case of Daniel Jones, Gettleman stated he was influenced by the Senior Bowl, but it was also the case of a weak draft class and the decision to get a QB.

Then there is the case where player evaluations continue up to the weeks leading up to the draft, where Coaches and GMs actually get to meet and spend time with players that only their Scouts reported back on. Regarding Dart, most of the evaluation and research into him took place after the 2024 League Season. In my opinion, this QB Draft Class was pronounced as being very weak, except for Sanders and Ward. After more evaluation, Sanders went from being the clear-cut best QB, to Ward creating distance between the two of them. Then throughout the process of film evaluation and late-season and post-season analysis, it was discovered that the rest of the crop was not as weak as they were dismissed. Need for the position has created competition, and some of those second-day QBs will move up in the Draft, while Draft Community is unwilling to take a leap of faith prior to the Draft. It's safer just to sit. As they did with Bo Nix and Michael Penix last year.     

[MightyGiants]

Not identical, but similar. Both were never projected to be first round picks.

I would say 50% (perhaps even more) of mock drafts have Dart going in round one.

[katkavage]

There's a difference between rising late and where players actually get picked. Dart is rising late because for one reason as Rich said. "When a player like Dart starts to rise in the draft community, it's because the Senior Bowl is the first chance for football pundits and the draft community to start to mingle with the NFL professionals.  Usually, players will rise or fall based on what they hear from the NFL people."

Another reason is that other players who were not hyped up to that point get noticed, and more study is put into them with online evaluations and Podcasts. There was nothing that Dart did at the Combine or Senior Bowl that made him "clearly" stand out.

However, some teams and their GMs are influenced heavily by the Combine and Senior/Shriners weeks. Anthony Richardson's Combine workouts weighed heavily in Indy's decision to draft him so high. In the case of Daniel Jones, Gettleman stated he was influenced by the Senior Bowl, but it was also the case of a weak draft class and the decision to get a QB.

Then there is the case where player evaluations continue up to the weeks leading up to the draft, where Coaches and GMs actually get to meet and spend time with players that only their Scouts reported back on. Regarding Dart, most of the evaluation and research into him took place after the 2024 League Season. In my opinion, this QB Draft Class was pronounced as being very weak, except for Sanders and Ward. After more evaluation, Sanders went from being the clear-cut best QB, to Ward creating distance between the two of them. Then throughout the process of film evaluation and late-season and post-season analysis, it was discovered that the rest of the crop was not as weak as they were dismissed. Need for the position has created competition, and some of those second-day QBs will move up in the Draft, while Draft Community is unwilling to take a leap of faith prior to the Draft. It's safer just to sit. As they did with Bo Nix and Michael Penix last year.     

I definitely agree that because of the weak QB class coupled with so many QB-needy teams this year, Dart has risen higher than originally projected. He has made his way into the late first round and might even make it into the top ten. Though that's not saying that's a good thing for anyone but Dart.

[Ed Vette]

I definitely agree that because of the weak QB class coupled with so many QB-needy teams this year, Dart has risen higher than originally projected. He has made his way into the late first round and might even make it into the top ten. Though that's not saying that's a good thing for anyone but Dart.

After a year, how would you rank last year's QB Crop? Does their ceiling align with their one year ranking?
 
Daniels
Nix
Williams
Maye
Penix

McCarthy can't be evaluated yet.

[katkavage]

After a year, how would you rank last year's QB Crop? Does their ceiling align with their one year ranking?
 
Daniels
Nix
Williams
Maye
Penix

McCarthy can't be evaluated yet.

All were projected to be first round picks. Maybe not Nix, but his resume was pretty good just not as good a prospect as Williams and Daniels and Maye. I would say you can't really evaluate Penix yet after two or three games. If you are making a comparison to Dart's rise, I don't see it. Listen, Maybe Dart will be a phenom. Who knows? But his rise was quick based on most 2024 ranking up until Senior Bowl and Combine where as the top two have been pretty steady in their rankings. That's all I'm saying.

[MightyGiants]

I didn't post the rumor (because I didn't see any actual video, just a still shot), but in case you heard the rumor reported as fact


https://x.com/SkoBuffsGoBuffs/status/1904579781728797020

[MightyGiants]

Adam Schefter
@AdamSchefter
·
7m
ESPN sources: Tennessee will hold an additional private workout with potential No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward. The Titans have become increasingly impressed with Ward and, while they are expected to listen to offers for the No. 1 overall pick, it now would take an even stronger package to acquire the draft's top selection.

[katkavage]

Adam Schefter
@AdamSchefter
·
7m
ESPN sources: Tennessee will hold an additional private workout with potential No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward. The Titans have become increasingly impressed with Ward and, while they are expected to listen to offers for the No. 1 overall pick, it now would take an even stronger package to acquire the draft's top selection.

They are taking him. Not a chance they trade out

[MightyGiants]

They are taking him. Not a chance they trade out

While I tend to think you're correct, I am not 100% sure.  That last line about needing more in a trade makes me wonder if the whole thing is a show to drive up the price for Ward.

[MightyGiants]

Michael F. Florio
@MichaelFFlorio
Jaxson Dart 2024 rank among QB Class

- 91.9 PFF pass grade (1st)
- 69 PFF pass grade under pressure (3rd)
- 4,361 yds (3rd)
- 29 TDs (7th)
- 7% big time throw (1st)
- 9% BTT under pressure (1st)
- 12.4 air yds per att (1st)
- 76.1% adjusted completion (5th)
- 404 rush yds (1st)
1:15 PM · Mar 25, 2025
·
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