Evaluating a draft prospect is one of the most difficult tasks in football — which is why teams invest heavily in scouting departments and dive deep into every aspect of a player, even the ones that aren’t visible to the public eye.
That’s where personal visits become crucial — to truly understand what kind of person a team would be bringing into the building. What shows up on tape is tangible — everyone can see it. But to uncover the intangible traits, you have to dig deeper.
According to one NFL insider, quarterback Jaxson Dart could be one of the players who benefits the most from that deeper evaluation process.
Jaxson Dart’s Leadership Could Raise His Draft Stock
Dart is a polarizing quarterback prospect. While he’s projected by some to go in the first round, certain scouts question whether his ceiling is high enough to truly elevate a team with his talent. However, NFL insider Jordan Schultz points out that Dart is the type of quarterback who could win over several teams during the deeper stages of the evaluation process.
“Another piece of Dart’s profile that stands out: Leadership. Sources say he personally recruited much of Ole Miss’ transfer class, spending late nights in Kiffin’s office calling portal players, pitching the program, and selling the vision,” Schultz said.
Over his four years in college, Dart appeared in 45 games — starting 41 of them. He had a rough year at USC in 2021, but he bounced back at Ole Miss over the following three seasons, showing steady improvement each year by cutting down on turnovers and increasing his production on the field.
When you combine that on-field growth with his off-field profile, his value starts to look different. Teams love quarterbacks who are willing to learn and adapt to a system — and that kind of humility could help Dart find success at the next level in the NFL.
“That type of leadership doesn’t always show up on tape, but NFL teams value it — and it’s a big reason why many see him as a culture-setter at the next level,” Schultz added.
One of the teams being mentioned as a potential landing spot for Jaxson Dart is the Pittsburgh Steelers, who currently hold the No. 21 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
If leadership truly is one of Dart’s defining traits, Pittsburgh might just be one of the most underrated fits in the entire draft — pairing him with Mike Tomlin, who’s widely regarded not only as a fantastic coach, but an even better leader.
What Are Dart’s Strengths and Weaknesses?
As previously mentioned, Dart is a complex quarterback to evaluate. While he brings plenty of starting experience from college, his tape doesn’t immediately jump off the screen — yet he could still prove to be valuable in the right situation.
PFSN analyst Reese Decker broke down Dart’s strengths and weaknesses in a full scouting report, which you can check out here:
Strengths
- Experience: In one year at USC and three years in Oxford, Mississippi, Dart has played in 45 games, starting 41.
- Smooth operator. Often poised and composed.
- Throws with great touch.
- Maestro in the quick game. Lethal when playing in rhythm.
- Natural and punishing runner with a frame that can withstand his physical running style.
- Comfortable and dangerous on designed runs.
- Strong base.
- Very accurate when throwing with a good base in the short and intermediate range.
- Very comfortable operating in the pocket, and even more dangerous when operating outside.
- Legs are a real threat. Fearless runner.
- Tough and gritty play style. More than willing to stand in the face of pressure and deliver a strike. Competitor.
Weaknesses
- Arm strength may ultimately be a question. Has the ability to throw the ball on a rope but is consistently inaccurate with the deep ball unless circumstances are near perfect.
- Doesn’t demonstrate having the arm strength to overcompensate for an off-set base.
Keeps his base strong but narrow. Doesn’t seem to fully engage his body to increase his power in throws. I would be willing to bet that he has more in the tank; it just needs to be unlocked. - Uncomfortable when first read isn’t there. May struggle working through progressions, also doesn’t appear to frequently have to work through them. One-read style of offense.
- Eyes may be in the right place, but hips and feet don’t get around quick enough, leading to wide throws.
- Would love to see follow-through on fakes in the RPO game. His legs are a real threat.
- Has the potential to pull 1-2 defenders with him for an extra second when carrying out the fake, freeing up the ball carrier and aiding the blocking scheme. Instantly becomes a spectator after a give.
- Too easy to defend.
- Don’t know what he was taught, but he is rarely a player who takes a true drop. He will take 2-to-3 step drop and rather than a true hitch, he hops and/or has happy feet until it’s time to throw.
- Can and does throw with anticipation, but there are plenty of instances where he wants to see the receiver open before uncorking it — leads to picks (EX: 11:10 4Q @ LSU).
- Drops tall and relaxed. Isn’t ready to throw in an instant. Has to sink hips and set feet to get the ball out rather than just throwing down the back foot.
- Low and tight release — quick and efficient, but release point makes his throws more susceptible to knockdowns.
- Played in a hurry-up offense. The average snap time was nearly 22 seconds. This offense minimizes pre-snap reads, often minimizing it to a one-man read because quarterback has limited time pre-snap to get a full and clear picture of the defense. This may be part of the reason Dart often looks unsettled if the first read isn’t there. Not saying he can’t do it, but doesn’t appear that he was asked to.
- All checks seem to come from the sideline, i.e. a “check with me” style of offense.
Whether it’s in the first or second round, some team will make Dart their quarterback for the near future — and he has the talent to be productive at the NFL level. But what could truly set him apart from the rest are his intangible traits, which seem to be resonating well with most teams throughout the pre-draft process.