Could there be a surprise quarterback name that makes his way into the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft?

Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart has become someone to keep an eye on following last week’s NFL combine in Indianapolis, with everyone from The Athletic to ESPN to USA Today praising his showing and indicating he could be a first-round pick.

USA Today ranked Dart, the 21-year-old QB out of Kaysville, Utah, as the second-best quarterback at the Combine last week behind only Missouri product Brady Cook. 

The Athletic reported that two teams “strongly” feel Dart would be taken in the “top half” of the first round. 

And it didn’t stop there either. 

ESPN’s Field Yates was singing his praises during a recent edition of ESPN’s “SportsCenter,” when he explained why Dart would sneak his way into the first round, which is expected to include quarterbacks Cam Ward (Miami) and Shedeur Sanders (Colorado).

“I think it’s Jaxson Dart from Ole Miss, who broke Eli Manning’s school record for passing yards this past season,” Yates said. “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.”

Dart is coming off a strong 2024 season where he led the SEC with 4,729 passing yards and threw 29 touchdown passes as Ole Miss went 10-3. 

The QB surpassed Manning’s Ole Miss all-time passing record that had lasted 21 years. 

Manning held the record with 10,199 yards but Dart ended his three years with the Rebels with 10,617 passing yards over his career at Ole Miss.