2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart

From now until the 2025 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart.

#2 Jaxson Dart/QB Ole Miss – 6’2, 225 pounds (Senior)

MEASUREMENTS

The Good

– Tough and gamer, competitive, and shows leadership on the field
– Played hurt and through injury (2024 win over Georgia)
– Displays a well-rounded game, does a little bit of everything
– Stands tall in the pocket against the rush, willing to take a shot to make a throw
– Able to layer and show appropriate touch on downfield throws (best throws on 7-routes)
– Shows movement inside the pocket to climb and slide to buy time and avoid rush
– Enough mobility to escape and run away from defenders, strength, and mindset to finish runs tough and absorb hard hits
– Successful situationally, third down/red zone/big moments
– Capable of throwing on the run, making plays off-script
– Can make YAC throws over the middle and lead target well
– Strong levels of productivity and consistently won despite tough conference
– Quality starting experience
– Competitive spirit and attitude should endear himself to coaches and teammates

The Bad

– Average frame and size, decent bulk but not prototypical profile missing ideal height
– Lacks defining and high-end/consistent standout trait; arm is good but not great without a ton of velocity
– Needs to speed up overall play; throws and reads aren’t on-time and quick enough, and slow processor
– Accuracy is spotty and can miss
– Slight windup/drop on release
– Plays frantically and can miss reads as he drops eyes and looks to take off; needs to consistently keep eyes downfield
– Shotgun-exclusive offense, no work taking snaps under center; RPO-heavy system that wasn’t uber-complicated (clap instead of cadence)
– Mistakes increase under pressure up the middle, leading to ducks/poor throws
– Not an elite athlete, decent foot speed but won’t make anyone miss
– Aggressive, never-quit demeanor as a runner makes him prone to taking extra hits and increasing injury/wear and tear

Bio

– Turns 22 in May
– 41 career starts for (38 for Ole Miss, 3 for USC)
– Career: 852-1,307 (65.2-percent), 11,970 yards, 81 TDs 21 INTs, 1,541 rushing yards, and 14 additional scores; also caught one pass for 15 yards
– 2024: 69.3-percent completion rate, 4,279 yards, 29 TDs 6 INTs, 495 rushing yard,s and three touchdowns, led SEC in completion percentage and passing yards
– 2024 Gator Bowl MVP, First-Team All-SEC by coaches
– Four-star recruit from Draper, Utah, committed to USC over BYU, Penn, UCLA, and several other schools
– Transferred from USC to Ole Miss after the 2021 season, appearing in six games for Trojans (9 TDs, 5 INTs) after Clay Helton was fired and Lincoln Riley brought Caleb Williams to the school
– 2020 Gatorade National Football Player of the Year, threw for over 4,600 yards and 67 TDs in senior season to go undefeated and win state title (transferred to Corner Canyon HS for final season, same school that produced Zach Wilson)
– Two-time All-State selection in baseball, played third base
– Works with QB trainer Taylor Kelly since sophomore year of high school
– Tore meniscus in knee in 2021, needed surgery and missed five weeks
– Coaches regard him as a fiery and ultimate competitor with a chip on his shoulder
– Finalist for William Campbell Award, ‘Academic Heisman,’ lost out to Alabama’s Jalen Milroe
– Did not miss substantial time with injuries at Ole Miss but played through nagging ailments (stinger in 2023, left ankle in 2024), had surgery on “lower body” after 2023, per Lane Kiffin
– Suffered meniscus injury to left knee in summer of 2023, briefly on crutches but was ready for fall camp
– 0.33 EPA per dropback, fourth-best of any 2024 QB (per Gameonpaper.com)

Tape Breakdown

QB Jaxson Dart spent a year at USC before Caleb Williams’ arrival, which made for an easy transfer decision. He held off the competition at Ole Miss, including Spencer Sanders, to start for essentially three seasons and lead the Rebels to success each year, including a pair of double-digit win campaigns.

There is no question that this dude is tough. He has an iron chin and doesn’t throw in the towel. Coaches, even from USC, discuss his never-say-die attitude borne from his childhood. That he never slides and doesn’t avoid competition. In a 2024 upset win over Georgia, he suffered an ankle injury in the first quarter, missed a series or two, but returned to finish things. And he didn’t shy away from contact, even on one leg.

He can stand tall and make throws against pressure, including some wild throws on the run that remind you of what Josh Allen does.

Dart’s pocket movement is solid, and he can hitch, climb, and slide to avoid rushers and give himself extra time. When he stays calm and keeps his eyes downfield, it all looks good.

He also succeeded in situational football, which is a good way to measure NFL moments. When the field and game get tight, Dart makes plays. Third down, goal line, out of his own end zone, he rises to meet the moment. And that’s impressive and speaks to his intangible qualities.

Negatively, he’s just not great in any area besides his toughness. Everything just feels ok. His biggest issue is a lack of timing on throws. Dart needs to speed up his process and he’s often too late, allowing contested situations with the DB closing on his target. This processing will be his No. 1 obstacle to overcome at the next level.

While he doesn’t bail on muddy pockets, he can struggle against rushes. Leading to bad decisions over the middle or on the move.

And he can feel skittish when that first read isn’t there, causing him to take off and miss checkdowns. While he didn’t grow up in an RPO offense in high school or USC, that was the system at Ole Miss under Lane Kiffin that will create an NFL learning curve. Though it was hardly his only issue, Matt Corral had an adjustment to make, too.

Conclusion

Overall, Dart does a lot of things well. And kudos to him for being tough and a gamer. He’ll earn the respect of a locker room in no time. But there aren’t a lot of things he does great. Not much that wows. Everything about his game is Bs, not As. And it’s hard to justify a ceiling of a starter/franchise guy on someone you like, not someone you love. There are some Kenny Pickett vibes here; as dirty a word as that is in Pittsburgh, my official comp to Dart will be Gardner Minshew. A gritty spot starter best served as a No. 2.

Projection: Late Day Two
Depot Draft Grade: 7.0 – Fifth Round (Backup/Special Teamer)
Games Watched: at Penn State (2023), at Wake Forest (2024), vs Kentucky (2024), vs Georgia (2024), vs Duke (2024 – cut-ups)