NFL Draft Insiders Expect Jaxson Dart to Be 1st-Round Pick amid Giants, Browns Rumors

It's looking more and more likely that quarterback Jaxson Dart will hear his name called on Day 1 of the 2025 NFL draft.

Matt Miller, Field Yates and Jordan Reid of ESPN reported that the Ole Miss quarterback is likely to go in the first round due to his strong performances at the Senior Bowl and the NFL Scouting Combine.

"I think it's really likely Dart goes in Round 1. In my talks with scouts this past week, the expectation is that his predraft process has been too successful for him to get past the first 32 picks," Miller wrote.

Yates added that Dart could project as an immediate starter for some teams while others may view him as a developmental quarterback worthy of a first-round pick.

"My mindset remains that two of the first three picks are likely to be quarterbacks, with the Titans zeroed in on Ward and the Giants still needing a young signal-caller -- most likely Sanders," Yates wrote. "Dart could start right away with a team such as the Steelers (No. 21), and the Saints (No. 9) or Rams (No. 26) might view him as an eventual starter."

Reid added that Dart ranks ahead of Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders on some teams' draft boards and that his best fit would be with the Los Angeles Rams.

"I've heard he's actually the second-best QB on some teams' boards," Reid wrote. "That bodes well for his first-round potential. Pairing Dart with Rams coach Sean McVay and allowing him to sit and develop behind Matthew Stafford for multiple seasons in L.A. would be the best-case scenario for him."

This comes amid reports that Dart has spent "significant time" with both the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns. Cleveland holds the No. 2 pick and the No. 33 pick in the 2025 draft and New York holds the No. 3 and No. 34 pick.

Dart is rated as the 58th overall prospect and the fourth quarterback in the draft class by Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department. He threw for 4,279 yards with 29 touchdowns and just six interceptions in 2024 while leading Ole Miss to a 10-3 record.

While the Browns and Giants could be hoping he falls to a second-round slot, other quarterback-needy teams may not let him get there and could view the 21-year-old as a franchise quarterback if developed correctly.