ESPN's Field Yates reveals likelihood Jaxson Dart is selected in first round of 2025 NFL Draft

ESPN’s Field Yates believes there is a chance Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart will in fact go in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

All of the conversation is centered around Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders but Dart could crash the party. Yates didn’t project Dart to go top 10 like those two, but he could be in the back half of the first round.

He does bring a lot to the table that could constitute a first round selection.

“I think it’s Jaxson Dart from Ole Miss, who broke Eli Manning’s school record for passing yards this past season,” Yates said on SportsCenter. “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 set career highs during his final season at Ole Miss. He finished with 4,279 yards, 29 touchdowns, six interceptions and a 69.3% completion percentage. Over the course of his career with Ole Miss, and his freshman year at USC, Dart finished with 11,970 yards, 81 touchdowns, 27 interceptions and a 65.2% completion percentage.

Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt likes Dart as a prospect, but not necessarily as a first rounder due to some issues he’ll have to fix.

“Well, the reason he’s not going to be a first round pick, or at least in my estimations unless someone reaches, is that he’s got to show a better command after the second read,” Klatt said. “So you heard me talk about him doing a great job of getting the ball out of his hand quickly. That’s right when he can get the ball out of his hand fast, an RPO, a ratio or leverage throw, a seam ball right down the seam, which is generally the first or second read.

“He’s very good, but as soon as he needs to go from the early foundation, number one, number two, and try to get to three or four, he quickly loses connection with his feet and what’s going on with his eyes.”