Jaxson Dart NFL Draft landing spots: Ranking five best fits for Ole Miss’ all-time passing leader

Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart’s stock has been on the rise, but will it climb high enough for him to sneak into the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft?

Dart concluded his four-year college career with his best season yet, leading the nation in passing yards per attempt (10.8), completions of 15 or more air yards (68) and passer efficiency rating (180.7). As a result, he finished his collegiate career with 10,617 career passing yards, which broke Eli Manning’s previously held program record of 10,119.

* Led SEC

There’s also plenty to like on tape for the three-year, SEC starting quarterback. Dart will go through his full array of progressions in a given play, and he’s accurate between the numbers. He’s also incredibly decisive versus man coverage by staying within the structure of a play and hitting his targets on time, and he’s adept at hitting receivers on the back-shoulder fade. Dart also displays his wealth of experience as a three-year starter by drawing defenders into pre-snap penalties with his hard count. 

However, he struggled against zone coverage, a symptom seen from a few quarterbacks to come out of Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin’s system in Oxford because of the simplified playbook and up-tempo nature of his scheme. When the quarterback has to take a lot of time to read the field against zone, Dart’s throws with anticipation decrease exponentially. His footwork and throwing mechanics on the run need work as he is limited in what he can do outside the pocket and on the run by his throwing process. 

That being said, Dart could be a strong fit in an offense with plenty of high-level playmakers to where Dart can sit back and just be the distributor, a role with a decent margin for error. A Shanahan-scheme team would probably be ideal for a player who is in some ways reminiscent of Brock Purdy. Could that similarity be enough for Dart to be the 2025 NFL Draft’s third quarterback selected? It’s possible. Without further ado, a look at the top team fits for the presumed second-round draft choice. If he goes in the draft’s first two rounds, Dart will join Archie and Eli Manning as only the third Ole Miss QB to be chosen in the NFL Draft’s first two rounds. 

5. Pittsburgh Steelers (52nd overall)

The Pittsburgh Steelers will certainly chase a veteran quarterback with head coach Mike Tomlin feeling the heat thanks to another playoff unraveling. Plus, Russell Wilson and Justin Fields are both set to be unrestricted free agents in March. 

Whether it’s Aaron Rodgers or a return by Wilson or Fields, Pittsburgh should have a bridge QB. That could make the Steelers an okay place for Dart to begin his NFL journey. However, they are light on playmakers outside of George Pickens, which could make things challenging for the Ole Miss standout. 

4. New Orleans Saints (40th overall pick)

The New Orleans Saints are cuffed to Derek Carr  for his age-34 season. However, his contract runs out of guaranteed money in 2026, the last season of his four-year, $150 million contract. Releasing Carr after the upcoming season could save New Orleans $32.8 million in cap space. Carr and the Saints are together for better or worse this year, but they could pave the way for Dart in 2026 with Carr’s cap hit set to balloon to $61.5 million. 

New Orleans possesses a solid trio of playmakers Dart could play with in 2022 first-round pick receiver Chris Olave, speed demon Rashid Shaheed and five-time Pro Bowl running back Alvin Kamara. However, Olave and Shaheed are coming off of injury-plagued 2024 campaigns. New head coach Kellen Moore helped nurture Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott into the three-time Pro Bowler he is today, and Moore just coordinated the Super Bowl LIX champion Philadelphia Eagles offense that led to running back Saquon Barkley rushing for over 2,000 yards and winning NFL Offensive Player of the Year honors. The Saints could make some sense for Dart to continue following in Archie Manning’s footsteps.  

3. New York Jets (42nd overall pick)

Sure, the New York Jets struggled in the clutch with an NFL-high six defeats with a fourth-quarter lead in 2024, but there are pieces Dart could mature with after developing behind a vet as a rookie. New York’s young core features wide receiver Garrett Wilson, running back Breece Hall and guard Alijah Vera-Tucker. The defensive core — corner Sauce Gardner, defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and edge rusher Will McDonald IV — possesses the potential to power the Jets to being one of the league’s top units on that side of the ball. After sitting in 2025, Dart and the Jets could be ready for liftoff in 2026. 

2. Miami Dolphins (48th overall pick)

The Miami Dolphins have some great offensive pieces in former All-Pro wide receiver Tyreek Hill, former first-round receiver Jaylen Waddle and running back De’Von Achane. 

However, they need more durability and big plays from the quarterback position. Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had the shortest average throw distance in the entire NFL (5.7 yards) this past season. That could be chalked up to fighting through the third diagnosed concussion of his NFL career, and as a result his 10 completions of 20 or more air yards were tied for 31st in the league after tossing an NFL-most 60 across the 2022 and 2023 seasons. One could also attribute that decline to head coach Mike McDaniel’s seemingly schematic stagnation this season as well. 

Dart could develop nicely under McDaniel’s guidance from the sidelines in 2025, and then there’s a chance he could one day be the Dolphins’ starting quarterback in 2026 or 2027. Tagovailoa doesn’t have any guaranteed money on his contract in the final three years of his deal from 2026-28. That equates to Miami having major cap savings in 2026 ($31.2 million), 2027 ($36.6 million) or 2028 ($57.4 million) should the Dolphins release the injury-plagued passer before his contract expires. Dart playing with all that speed around him, although Hill’s days as a Dolphin could be numbered, could spark the return to more fireworks in Miami in a year or two.   

1. Seattle Seahawks (50th overall pick)

Geno Smith would be an ideal quarterback for Dart to learn from at the start of his NFL career. Smith just capped one of the better statistical years of his career with career highs in completion percentage (70.4%), passing yards (4,320) and wins (10). Seattle’s offensive line needs a makeover after surrendering the third-most quarterback pressure rate (39.4%) in the entire NFL last year, which highlights how high level Smith’s production was. Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba tied the Seahawks‘ single-season receptions record of 100 (also Tyler Lockett in 2020), and wide receiver DK Metcalf is one of six players ever with at least 900 yards receiving in each of his first six seasons along with Terry McLaurin, Mike Evans, A.J. Green, Randy Moss and Jerry Rice. There are weapons there. 

Dart learning behind Smith for a year — he’ll be a free agent in 2026 — in the Shanahan offense under new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, with Seattle improving its offensive line before turning things over to the Rebels quarterback, could line up well. Kubiak was cooking at the beginning of 2024 before injuries decimated his offense, and Dart could find himself at home in a system that had Derek Carr looking like an early-season MVP candidate.