Jaxson Dart is next up in the summer scouting series. The well-heeled Ole Miss quarterback should be one of the top prospects at his position in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Dart does a lot of things very well. The Ole Miss offense, under Lane Kiffin, does a lot with RPOs and route combinations to help scheme open some throws, and Dart is very adept at the controls. He has a strong arm and excellent accuracy on downfield throws. The ability to throw the ball between layers of the defense when and where it needs to be is probably my favorite attribute of the 6-foot-2, 220-pound Dart.
When pressured, Dart gets conservative; he’s not a risk-taker when the protection breaks down. It keeps him from making the big mistake but also leaves some meat on the bone offensively; there were opportunities for Dart down the field if he wanted to try them while pressured against Mississippi State and Alabama. Dart also gets a little too predictable in escaping pressure by dropping deeper and to his right, something he can mix up a little more in 2024.
Another trait that stands out is Dart’s willingness to let plays develop, even if his primary read isn’t initially there. He’s a lot better when he doesn’t have to come off that first read, but Dart can advance through progressions and make decisive throws if needed.
Mechanically, Dart has some work to do. He throws from different platforms and shoulder angles, which in and of itself can be a positive. But Dart doesn’t always rotate through his throws, and his shoulders, hips and feet don’t always stay aligned. Most of his inaccurate passes come from this more than timing or arm strength issues–especially on shorter throws.
There’s some early Deshaun Watson to Dart in that regard; Watson progressed during his Texans time at becoming more mechanically consistent and Dart certainly can grow there too. He’s just 21 and appears to be still physically maturing in his physique.
Dart can run effectively, and he’s got very good pre-snap instincts about when to run or keep it on the RPO. Not many NFL offenses use that, alas, but if a red zone set presents itself, Dart can be very effective working the option. He’s tough without being reckless.
Entering the ’24 college season for the Rebels, I like Dart’s all-around skill package. He’s in the Michael Penix Jr./Bo Nix range as they entered their final seasons, and it’s easy to see Dart ascend into that draft range with an impressive CFB season. It’s also entirely possible Dart stays in the Day 2 range where certain teams will like him a lot more than others, a la Will Levis or Desmond Ridder.
