The 2025 NFL Draft, for most of the year leading up to it, looked like a two-quarterback race. Both Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward pulled ahead of the pack. But as April 24 gets closer, more names are starting to emerge.
While no one has cracked the top tier, there’s growing buzz that more than two quarterbacks could go in the first round. And right now, the hottest name rising on draft boards is Jaxson Dart. The Ole Miss Rebels star opened up about his journey.
Almost Quitting to First-Round Buzz: Jaxson Dart’s NFL Dream Is Closer Than Ever
Over the past couple of weeks, Dart has been building real momentum in mock drafts. As his name gains more attention, the All-SEC selection made an appearance on “Good Morning Football.”
“Yeah, it’s definitely kinda crazy to look back on the journey. Like you said, I remember being in that headspace when I didn’t have a lot.” At one point, that doubt even had him thinking about switching sports.
“At one point, honestly, I was thinking I’m just going to play baseball because things weren’t working out as much on the football side of things.”
But even during the tough stretches in college, he never gave up on his dream.
“So, quite honestly, it’s never really been a doubt.” For Dart, this has always been the goal. “This has been something I’ve dreamed of my whole life, and I remember going back to preschool writing down, ‘What do you wanna be one day?’ and ‘I wanna be a Super Bowl-winning quarterback.'”
"This is something I've dreamed of my whole life… I want to be a Super Bowl winning quarterback"@OleMissFB QB @JaxsonDart dreams may come true starting next week at the 2025 #NFLDraft 🤩 pic.twitter.com/icV6U5Ycjo
— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) April 17, 2025
He’s done the work, and now he’s ready to see the payoff. “So, didn’t really quite expect anything less than what it is now. But really just grateful and humbled for the opportunity.”
That opportunity is likely to come soon. And if the latest mock draft from PFSN is any indication, it could come earlier than expected.
NFL analyst Cameron Sheath has Dart going to the Cleveland Browns with the 33rd overall pick — the first selection of the second round.
After a career where he improved every season, including a final year with 4,279 passing yards, 29 touchdowns, and 495 rushing yards with three more scores, it’s no surprise the Browns — still reeling from the Deshaun Watson trade — are willing to take a swing.
