Nix was projected by many as a late-first or early-second spherical choose for many of his pre-draft course of, however Sean Payton locked in on the Oregon QB. The Denver Broncos drafted Nix No. 12 general.
And Nix led the Broncos to a playoff berth, ending third within the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the 12 months voting behind solely Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels and Raiders tight finish Brock Bowers.
“It only takes one,” a coach stated. One workforce to like a participant and draft him excessive, particularly on the sport’s premium place.
That occurred in a 2024 class when six quarterbacks got here off the board within the draft’s prime 12 alternatives.
Now think about how aggressive a market there could possibly be for the first-team All-SEC QB Dart in a draft with just one standout QB prospect, Miami’s Cam Ward, who is predicted to go No. 1 general to the Tennessee Titans.
Right here’s how aggressive: there are some in league circles who imagine Dart shall be this class’ QB2 even forward of Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, whose latest professional day highlighted some NFL scouts’ questions on his potential to drive the ball to the sideline.
“I think he’ll end up getting drafted before Shedeur,” one NFL evaluator stated.
The massive query in New York, then, is whether or not Dart could possibly be the Giants’ man. Their actions say they’re very .
Dart, 21, visited the Giants in East Rutherford, N.J., again in early March proper after the NFL Mix. And the Giants additionally despatched an infinite contingent of coaches and evaluators to Oxford, Miss., that included coach Brian Daboll this spring to spend extra time with him.
The Rebels’ quarterback ran an RPO-heavy scheme in school, or the “run-pass option,” the place a quarterback in shotgun makes fast throws out of play motion to pre-snap reads. In 2024 he racked up 4,774 complete yards of offense, throwing 29 TD passes to 6 interceptions.
There are questions on his potential to course of and work the sector on the NFL degree if these first reads are usually not obtainable. However his manufacturing, particularly his on-target deliveries down the sector in coach Lane Kiffin’s offense, stands out as a tantalizing potential that might translate.
Dart led all of faculty soccer with 1,517 yards and 17 TDs on deep passes of 20 air yards or extra in 2024. And he ran the ball a minimum of 119 occasions in all three of his Ole Miss seasons, together with eight landing runs in 2023 and 124 carries for 495 yards and three TDs final 12 months.
One NFL scout stated he appears at Dart and sees “backup,” a “gamer” who’s susceptible to errors. Then once more, like Nix final season, if a quarterback finds the precise coach and supporting forged, he can shortly show lots of groups’ evaluations flawed.
“Overall traits, you wouldn’t put him in that [top] category,” Cosell added. “But if he’s well coached, good scheme, people around him — there are very few transcendent quarterbacks. They need people [around them]. I think Dart could be a quality starter in this league, but I think he needs all those other things in place for that to happen.”
Right here’s the factor about quarterbacks who may be high quality starters within the NFL now, although: all of them get drafted a lot greater than anticipated.
The Giants’ preferrred state of affairs to land Dart seemingly could be to make use of the No. 3 general choose on Colorado receiver/nook Travis Hunter or Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter, after which commerce up into the primary spherical from their No. 34 general second-round choose for the Ole Miss QB.
The issue is Dart in all probability gained’t fall that far down the board.
The Las Vegas Raiders at No. 6 general have hosted Dart. The New Orleans Saints’ possibilities of taking Dart shot by way of the roof on Friday when it was reported that incumbent Derek Carr’s lingering shoulder harm might jeopardize his 2025 season.
Dart’s most direct bodily comparability to a productive professional, at 6-2 and 223 kilos, is reigning Tremendous Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts, whom the Eagles listing at 6-1, 223. New Saints coach Kellen Moore might view that as the right transition from his work with Hurts in Philly to working his personal workforce within the Huge Straightforward.
The L.A. Rams are a sneaky attainable vacation spot at No. 26, too, behind the QB-needy Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 21 — with the Seattle Seahawks at No. 18 possibly ready till the later rounds to take a developmental QB.
Rams GM Les Snead and coach Sean McVay have to get a younger quarterback into their constructing with Matthew Stafford on a year-to-year foundation after practically leaving by way of commerce within the early offseason.
Dart has spent lots of time with the Rams throughout this course of, and a few league sources imagine that Dart to L.A. is a powerful chance based mostly on a mixture of mutual curiosity, match and breadcrumbs.
That will imply the Giants may need to commerce over the Rams at No. 26 to get Dart. The issue with that? The Cleveland Browns at No. 33 general may need the identical precise thought.
The Browns are usually not anticipated to take a quarterback at No. 2 general, however they’ve been everywhere in the quarterbacks, together with Dart, throughout the course of. Just like the Giants, they should take one; it’s only a query of the place.
Perhaps all of those variables are making the argument, ultimately, that the Giants usually tend to land a quarterback like Texas’ Quinn Ewers within the early second spherical as a result of Dart gained’t be obtainable to them in the event that they cross on him at No. 3.
Some NFL sources are curious concerning the logic of passing on a coveted QB at No. 3 however hungrily pursuing him within the late first spherical.
Hypothetically, for instance, if the Giants love Dart as a attainable future franchise QB and a workforce like Saints at No. 9 are in play for Dart, too, why would he be price choose No. 25 in a commerce up however not be price choose No. 3?
A prospect’s worth on the board clearly comes into play. Giants GM Joe Schoen continually says he believes within the worth of the draft board matching to the participant’s draft slot.
And the Giants may benefit enormously from getting Hunter or Carter at No. 3 to assist their workforce instantly whereas additionally discovering a quarterback that they like a bit later.
Then once more, a franchise quarterback is crucial commodity within the sport. That’s what the Giants are looking for above something. Passing on one once more — after passing on Nix, Michael Penix Jr. and J.J. McCarthy in final 12 months’s draft — is a harmful proposition.
Dart, along with his bodily attributes, can also be a gorgeous prospect as a result of he’s extraordinarily coachable, based on those that know him.
It surprises nobody that as Dart has spent extra facetime with NFL groups, extra coaches — Daboll included — have warmed to the good-natured, athletic QB.
The query is whether or not Daboll believes he’s discovered a Josh Allen-like connection.
The one quarterback Daboll has coached to a high-scoring, elite degree was Allen, a 6-5, 237-pound unicorn with a smile, a relatable disposition and management qualities.
Dart will not be similar to Allen as a participant. No quarterback on this class is. If the Giants have conviction in his make-up and upside, nevertheless, he could possibly be price an even bigger swing than anybody on this NFL Draft class — if another person doesn’t take him first.
