Jaxson Dart goes ahead of Shedeur Sanders in latest mock draft as the Ole Miss QB continues to rise up NFL Draft boards
The Jaxson Dart hype has been building quickly over the last several months. The Ole Miss Rebels may have ultimately fallen short of their postseason goals last season, but Jaxson Dart still put together a phenomenal season. It apparently took the masses and many experts a while to realize just how special Dart's body of […]
The Jaxson Dart hype has been building quickly over the last several months. The Ole Miss Rebels may have ultimately fallen short of their postseason goals last season, but Jaxson Dart still put together a phenomenal season. It apparently took the masses and many experts a while to realize just how special Dart's body of work was, but they seem to have finally caught up.
Todd McShay has been one of the most outspoken NFL Draft analysts in recent months on Jaxson Dart. He's made it clear for quite some time how good he believes Dart to be, and finally took him over Shedeur Sanders in his latest mock draft. But to land where? And why?
Todd McShay picks Jaxson Dart to the Saints
"Fireworks now! Pick nine. New Orleans Saints. Quarterback. Not Shedeur Sanders. Jaxson Dart…Consider it done. Rankings. Mock draft. All of it…If you're Mickey Loomis, and you hire a coach [Kellen Moore] who is up for this job because of his record, background, and triumphs as a quarterback, then quarterback coach, and offensive coordinator of three really successful quarterbacks…that you've done a really good job with them…if you're going to make a decision at that position [QB] you're probably going to want to listen to the guy that you just hired."
Todd McShay–like many NFL Draft analysts–has been talking about Jaxson Dart as a potential early draft pick for months now. He had confirmed (like we at A to Z Sports reported as well) that multiple teams have Jaxson Dart as their QB2 several weeks ago. It was about time he published a mock draft with Dart going before Shedeur Sanders.
Yes, it obviously makes sense to let the new head coach in Kellen Moore have a significant say in which quarterback the team is going to draft. But why would it be Jaxson Dart instead of Shedeur Sanders? McShay continued:
"Kellen Moore has been an offensive coordinator in the league in three places. Dallas. L.A., Chargers. And Philly. Dak [Prescott]. [Justin] Herbert. [Jalen] Hurts. In what world is he drafting Shedeur Sanders over Jaxson Dart? He is used to a bigger, mobile, stronger armed quarterback. And those are three qualities that Jaxson Dart has. It doesn't necessarily make Jaxson Dart better than Shedeur. In some places Shedeur fits better…Jaxson Dart is not the processor that Shedeur is. May develop into it…Lane [Kiffin] knows how to–with pre-snap motions and formations–to create a very clear picture for his quarterback at the college level that allows him to make quick decisions. And if that decision's not there, oftentimes [Dart] was climbing the pocket, maneuvering around, and then letting his instincts take over. But I think his instincts are pretty awesome."
The scheme that Lane Kiffin runs at Ole Miss has been essentially the sole focus of those who question Jaxson Dart's translation to the NFL level. McShay and many others have pointed out the answers that Kiffin puts in place for his quarterbacks to succeed and easily execute within his system. However, even working outside of the base offensive structure, Jaxson Dart succeeded at an elite level.
Dart finished last season ranked first in total yards per game, yards per play, adjusted yards per pass attempt, scheme adjusted pass efficiency (which even accounts for play action and motion percentages) among all FBS quarterbacks. He ranked top five in QBR, EPA per play, and much more. Pick a metric. Any metric. And Jaxson Dart ranked extremely as the single most efficient quarterback on the field for the 2024 college football season.
Seeing him selected as the ninth pick in the 2025 NFL Draft might seem controversial to some. Unfortunately for those who want to second guess him, the consistent large sample on-field results speak for themselves. The truth is that Jaxson Dart very well might just be selected before Shedeur Sanders, and Todd McShay is just one of many who now believe that.
Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart could go shockingly early in the 2025 NFL Draft based on latest pre-draft visit
Jaxson Dart continues to rise up NFL mock draft boards everywhere as his first round buzz keeps getting stronger with every passing day. Some still doubt Dart's pro-ready physical traits. Some have questions about him translating due to Ole Miss' scheme (which has been dismissed as a lazy narrative throughout NFL Draft season). However, nothing […]
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And if you want to look back at some of the special plays Jaxson Dart made for Ole Miss just check out his 2024 highlights in the video below!
