Some considered Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart to be the best quarterback in attendance at last week's Senior Bowl. The intrigue continues to grow. Dart has allegedly entered the first-round conversation, according to multiple league-wide sources. There are questions surrounding this quarterback class and that leaves room for an unexpected contender to emerge.
Dart was dynamic for the Rebels this past campaign. He threw for a career-high 29 touchdowns and 4,279 yards while completing nearly 70% of his passing attempts. Through some dual-threat ability, Dart added 495 rushing yards and three touchdowns to his offensive totals.
Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders are viewed as the first-round QBs. Dart possesses the potential to elevate himself into that mix via a strong pre-draft process. We've identified three potential landing spots for his services in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers find themselves in an interesting position at quarterback this offseason. They endured a familiar season, qualifying for the playoffs before being dusted aside easily in the wild card round by their arch-rival Baltimore Ravens. Starting QB Russell Wilson is a free agent and may attract interest elsewhere, particularly from his old coach Pete Carroll and the Las Vegas Raiders. Justin Fields is also a free agent and probably won’t be back in Pittsburgh next season after being benched midseason.
Head coach Mike Tomlin may consider taking a swing at a quarterback after misjudging Kenny Pickett's abilities a few years ago. Drafting a prospect like Dart or Jalen Milroe would give the Steelers another opportunity to find a long-term solution. The Steelers should be intrigued by Dart’s upside.
Seattle Seahawks
Geno Smith is an above-average starting quarterback for the Seahawks. Smith is also scheduled to turn 35 years old in a 2025 contract year though. Previous advances from his representation to discuss a contract extension with the Seahawks have gone nowhere.
Perhaps it's time for general manager John Schneider to begin preparing for life after Smith. The Seahawks have a new offensive coordinator in Klint Kubiak, who possesses a decorated resume with various quarterbacks. No. 18 overall may qualify as premature for Dart, but the Seahawks own two additional top-100 selections. Drafting Dart and grooming him behind Smith for a season could be beneficial.
Los Angeles Rams
The Rams also find themselves at a crossroads. They won the NFC West and upset the Minnesota Vikings in the playoffs, advancing to the divisional round, where they lost a one-score game to the NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles. Starting quarterback Matthew Stafford is signed through 2026, but general manager Les Snead should start weighing succession plans given that Stafford turns 37 years old later this February.
The Rams must balance maximizing their current competitive window while simultaneously planning for life post-Stafford. Snead and Sean McVay have been linked to several rookie quarterbacks in recent drafts. Perhaps this is the year the Rams truly take the plunge by drafting a developmental quarterback. McVay could work wonders with Dart's potential.
