Dan Orlovsky debates whether Shedeur Sanders draft slide would be 'wrong'

After the college football season concluded, most NFL Draft analyst agreed that Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders would be the first two quarterbacks off the board. However, as time has gone on, other names have begun to appear in the conversation.

Notably, Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart has picked up steam in NFL circles. During an appearance on First Take on Monday, former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky answered whether it’d be a mistake for a team to draft a quarterback other than Cam Ward ahead of Sanders.

“No, and there’s a couple reasons why,” Orlovsky said. “Jaxson Dart and Shedeur Sanders are like the perfect examples of where they go is going to be so paramount because their skill sets, their traits are very different. Jaxson Dart is more athletic. He’s a little bit more of the ‘We can design quarterback run around him.’ He can push the ball downfield as part of their offense at Ole Miss.

“Shedeur is the ‘I want to give him control at the line of scrimmage, allow him to see the defense.’ Kind of the point-guard centric, very smart and quick, timing and rhythm passing game. So, where they go is huge.”

Dart certainly boasts an athletic advantage over Sanders. He is taller, heavier and has a stronger arm than the former Colorado QB. Of course, measurements mean nothing without the statistics to back them up.

Alas, Dart has stunning passing numbers as well. In the 2024 campaign, Dart completed 69.3% of his pass attempts for 4,279 yards and 29 touchdowns while only throwing six interceptions.

In comparison, Sanders completed 74.0% of his passes for 4,134 yards and 37 touchdowns compared to 10 interceptions last season. In Orlovsky’s eyes, there isn’t a clear superior in talent between the two but instead, their draft order will depend on what teams are looking for.

“Everything about the first round of the NFL Draft is physical talent,” Orlovsky said. “If you just took these guys side by side and said, ‘Who physically is more talented?’ You would say Jaxson Dart. He’s bigger. He’s stronger. I think he’s faster. He’s got more ability to make some of the ‘wow’ throws than Shedeur has.

“If you’re a team like the Saints, and you sit there and go, Kellen Moore, Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles, they like the quarterback run, you’re gonna go Jaxson Dart just because of it. If you’re Brian Daboll and New York Giants, and you go, ‘Well, my experience with Josh Allen tells me I want that style or that profile.’ Jaxson Dart fits that.

“So I’ve had these guys much closer than probably others since the very beginning of this process, and I just don’t believe it would be a mistake. It doesn’t mean Shedeur is not good and has the chance to be a good player in the NFL.”