Top NFL Draft analyst makes strong statement on Jaxson Dart that might shock Shedeur Sanders fans coming off the Senior Bowl
The quarterback discourse is always a hot button topic when NFL Draft season rolls around each year. The 2025 NFL Draft will be no exception. Last year it was Caleb Williams vs. Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye, or how many quarterbacks "should" go in round one. This time around it's been reported and confirmed by […]
The quarterback discourse is always a hot button topic when NFL Draft season rolls around each year. The 2025 NFL Draft will be no exception. Last year it was Caleb Williams vs. Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye, or how many quarterbacks "should" go in round one.
This time around it's been reported and confirmed by many that some kind of majority have Miami's Cam Ward at the top of their board, but is there a debate beyond that? What about Colorado's Shedeur Sanders? Or the Ole Miss Rebels' record-setting passer Jaxson Dart?
Based on the word of several sources around the league, and what Todd McShay is hearing directly from general managers and scouts there's certainly a debate to be had as the NFL Draft approaches.
Todd McShay joined the Ryen Russillo Podcast this week to talk through several hot 2025 NFL Draft topics, but the one that stood out most was the segment on quarterbacks. McShay, like many college football and NFL Draft analysts, had some well-deserved skeptical questions surrounding Jaxson Dart heading into his final season.
However, after Dart's best season yet for Ole Miss in Lane Kiffin's offensive scheme, McShay's view on the former Rebel has clearly shifted. And apparently he isn't alone:
"I didn't write him off, but I didn't know that he was ever going to progress to where he progressed this season…But going into the Senior Bowl and starting to talk to people, and then on the practice field, and talking to different general managers and scouts…I think there's a healthy debate in terms of the quarterbacks this year. I think majority have [Cam Ward QB1]…I haven't talked to anyone who thinks Jaxson Dart is QB1. But the conversations I was having are that there are some teams that think the conversation between Shedeur Sanders and Jaxson Dart is a lot closer than people might think."
It might shock some Shedeur Sanders fans to realize that general managers and scouts believe the conversation is a lot closer between Jaxson Dart and the son of Deion Sanders than people think, but it sounds like–at least for some–that's the case.
McShay went on to rightly discuss how the Senior Bowl practices this year (especially for the American team) weren't really set up to showcase the quarterbacks' greatest talents. For those who were there, that frustration is probably far too familiar. It was a lot of close red zone throws, short-to-intermediate one-on-ones, and far too much running in the full team sessions. That left the opinions a bit mixed on Jaxson Dart (and all of the QBs, really) coming off the Senior Bowl.
However, there were a few instances where Dart was able to showcase the arm talent and accuracy that has many NFL scouts interested. Take this highlight ball-placement throw to Jake Briningstool (TE, Clemson) to conclude practice on Wednesday. He put it high and away where only his guy could grab it:
McShay went on to clarify further that he and others don't necessarily have Dart over Shedeur Sanders as of today. However, it's clear the sentiment has shifted on the former Ole Miss QB:
I liked him a lot more than I thought I ever would like Jaxson Dart. Let's just leave it at that right now. I thought he had a really good week…I'm excited to talk to people in the league about his process, where he is on the board, the interviews, and how teams are getting to know him more. I think he's got a chance to climb up. I'll be surprised if he's not at least the third quarterback taken. I think there's a really good chance Jaxson Dart winds up in the first round.
Debate will certainly continue throughout the coming months on the top quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft. That much is certain. But don't let anyone try and convince you the ranking order for this class is set in stone at the beginning of February. Hopefully the NFL Combine and rest of the process continues providing some clarity on where Jaxson Dart, Shedeur Sanders, and all the other talented passers might land in the 2025 NFL Draft.
We'll be back with more NFL Draft coverage here at A to Z Sports all year long! Follow me (@FF_TravisM) and A to Z Sports (@AtoZSportsNFL) on X for all the latest football news!
And if you want to check out the full clip from Ryen Russillo and Todd McShay, the Jaxson Dart and quarterback conversation starts around the 24 minute mark in the video below!
