ESPN Analyst Believes Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart Could Sneak Into First Round of NFL Draft

Could Jaxson Dart be one of the first 32 prospects taken off of the draft board in April?

Oct 5, 2024; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart (2) rushes against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the second quarter at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images | Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

Draft day is inching ever closer for players hoping to pave a path to the NFL, and Ole Miss Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart is making a name for himself in the pre-draft process this offseason.

Dart, who is coming off a record-breaking campaign at Ole Miss, put up a strong performance in the Reese's Senior Bowl in early February, and now that he has competed at the NFL Combine, he is continuing to garner some hype leading up to the draft that is set to take place in April.

In fact, ESPN's Field Yates believes that Dart could sneak his way into the first round of this spring's festivities, and he recently explained why on an edition of SportsCenter.

“I think it’s Jaxson Dart from Ole Miss, who broke Eli Manning's school record for passing yards this past season,” Yates said, according to On3. “He’s got a ton of experience. He began his college career at USC, finished up at Ole Miss, and he had a brilliant game to cap his college career against Duke in the bowl game. Good athlete, he can throw on the run as well. It’s going to be a transition, because the offense he played in at Ole Miss does not look a whole lot like most NFL offenses. 

“That being said, when you combine the athleticism and the accuracy, I do think there’s a chance that by the time it’s all said and done, he sneaks into the first round. I had him going 21st overall to the Pittsburgh Steelers in my most recent mock draft.”

There are always NFL franchises who are looking to reinvent their quarterback room come draft time, whether that be immediately in the following season or for the future when a veteran quarterback hangs up his cleats. Either way, some NFL general manager will take a chance on Dart in April, but what round he goes is still up for debate.

Dart has not been a first round projection in most mock drafts this offseason, but given that he is a quarterback who has performed well in the pre-draft process, it's not unthinkable that he could find himself garnering top-32 buzz on draft night, especially since he compares his own game to that of Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts.

“I think it’s a little bit of a cop-out because he just won the Super Bowl, but I love J Hurts and what he does,” Dart said at the combine, according to Pro Football Talk. “I feel like I’m very similar in my play style to him. I feel like we can do a lot of the same things.

“Obviously, he’s an elite player and I’m trying to reach that level. But he’s been somebody that I’ve tried to resemble my game after just because of his versatility — being able to run and throw the ball, and just how strong he is in the pocket. That’s something that I’ve had a lot of fun watching, observing his play style.”

The NFL Draft is set to take place from April 24-26 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.