Much of the quarterback discourse this NFL Draft season has centered on Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders. The conversation has shifted following the NFL Scouting Combine. Ward and Sanders are still widely viewed as the top signal-callers in the class. Beyond them, though, others raised their stock significantly at the Combine.
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Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart is the most notable riser. One month ago, he was consistently projected in the second-to-third round range. Now, he’s seen as a first-round candidate. He initially gained attention from scouts at the Senior Bowl, and following a strong showing at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, he is now rising rapidly on several teams’ draft boards.
Former NFL general manager Mike Mayock isn’t surprised about this shift. He suggested Dart is closer to Shedeur Sanders’ level than he is the rest of the quarterbacks in the class.
“I think [Jaxson Dart is] really similar to Shedeur Sanders with the things they do well… they both throw with anticipation… they throw with timing… [and] accuracy. Neither of them is a dynamic athlete, yet they can make you miss and maneuver in the pocket. Both of them have to win with anticipation and pocket mechanics,” Mayock said on The Rich Eisen Show.
Mayock guessed that Dart “might make his way back into that first round” of the NFL Draft. He anticipates Sanders and Cam Ward to “go in the first seven picks.” However, if Ian Rapoport’s recent reports are accurate, Dart could challenge Sanders to be the second quarterback chosen.
As Mayock demonstrated, Sanders and Dart are comparable. This alignment supports them being drafted in the same vicinity. But the biggest differentiator could be out of their control. Shedeur is often labeled a character risk because he’s Deion Sanders’ son. Dart has no such qualms.
Shedeur did his best to address those concerns at the NFL Scouting Combine, but he didn’t entirely mitigate them. Josina Anderson reported that a “quarterbacks coach from a team drafting in the top seven” claimed Shedeur came off as “brash” and “arrogant.” She added that the coach’s assessment, “[directly opposes] how Sanders came across… with the media at the Combine.”
I am disappointed to hear that a quarterbacks coach from a team drafting in the top 7 referred to Shedeur Sanders as coming off “brash” and “arrogant” in his team interview and making his assessment known to a number of people, per source. I’m purposely not naming the team, as… pic.twitter.com/OjCTciEZIa
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) March 3, 2025
Anderson also noted that league sources believe the coach ‘[has] issue with ‘the culture’ of athletes who have broad fame and financial success before entering the NFL.”
While this coach’s thoughts may not reflect most of his NFL colleagues’ opinions, they show the uphill battle Sanders has been fighting throughout this process. If a franchise would rather avoid the discourse around Sanders, even if he’s rated higher on their board, they could justifiably pivot to Dart.
Would this be fair to Sanders? Of course not. No matter how hard he tries, he won’t be able to make everyone like him. The only thing he needs is one team to love him. If that happens, his sky will be the limit. And if he makes good on his potential, where he’s selected will merely function as a footnote when his career is done.
