Jaxson Dart has never seen arm talent like Austin Simmons, his replacement as Ole Miss QB1
Record-setting Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart is shooting up NFL Draft boards.
His replacement with the Rebels, Austin Simmons, is deep off in the team’s off-season strength and conditioning program.
But if Simmons — a 6-foot-4 lefty — is as good as Ole Miss thinks he is, he’ll be in a similar position to Dart in a year or two.
Simmons has an ally in the three-year starter he’s replacing. Dart threw for 4,729 yards, 29 touchdowns and an SEC-leading 329.2 yards last season. He broke the single-season Ole Miss passing and total offense records, as well as his own school records for single-bowl passing yards and total offense.
“He’s an elite talent,” Dart said of Simmons. Dart was speaking at the NFL Scouting Combine. “I haven’t really seen anybody like him who can spin the ball with his arm talent. He’s going to take a huge step leadership-wise. I think they’re going to pick up where we left off.”
RELATED: Spring Depth Chart: Ole Miss QBs
Ole Miss last season won 10 games for the third time in four years.
Simmons was a redshirt freshman and received playing time for the first time in his career. He completed 19 of 32 passes for 282 yards and two touchdowns in nine games and also rushed five times for 14 yards.
Simmons raised eyebrows with his impressive spot duty for Dart in the Rebels’ 28-10 win over Georgia, arguably the season’s most memorable moment.
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“Just a guy who’s going to be really, really special,” departed Ole Miss wide receiver Jordan Watkins said of Simmons. Watkins and Dart were two of the program-record 11 Rebels who participated in the Combine. “Austin Simmons as a quarterback, he’s unbelievable. He’s a great talent.
“Dual-sport athlete. He can do it all. His maturity level, he came in as a 17-year-old. The way he was able to adapt to the college ways and college system was great. And to just sit behind a great quarterback like Jaxson Dart as well and learn from him, he was one big sponge.”
Most years replacing a three-year, record-setter (Jaxson Dart) at QB with a first-time starter (Austin Simmons) would be reason enough for tempered enthusiasm.
— Ben Garrett (@SpiritBen) March 4, 2025
Ole Miss, however, hasn’t operated that way all off-season.
Spring Depth Chart: Ole Miss QBs: https://t.co/IpGxoHfFx0 pic.twitter.com/j61ETlaC2e
Simmons is one of a projected 18 new starters for the Rebels next season.
“We got high hopes on Austin, man,” one-and-done Ole Miss cornerback Trey Amos said. “He’s a good kid, smart. I’m just looking forward to next year, this upcoming season for him, being the leader and stepping up.”
Amos also has high hopes for some returning Ole Miss defensive backs.
“They need to step up in the DB group,” he said. Amos is a likely first or second-round pick during the draft, set for April 24-26. “Chris Graves, TJ Banks, all those guys, they’re going to have high hopes for this season coming up for them.”
