Jaxson Dart NFL Draft: Best landing spot for Ole Miss star

Jaxson Dart, who was once pegged as a third- or fourth-round pick, has ascended draft boards after impressive showings at the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine. The 6-foot-2, 223-pound quarterback led the SEC as a senior, passing for 4,279 yards with a 69.3% completion rate and 32 total touchdowns. His strong collegiate career also included 1,541 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns over four seasons, displaying his dual-threat ability.

On Sunday, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport wrote that four teams have expressed strong interest in Jaxson Dart. This includes the Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers. These organizations have conducted extensive meetings with the quarterback ahead of the draft.

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Browns, Saints, or Giants: Who needs Jaxson Dart most?

Here are the best landing spots for Jaxson Dart:

#1 Cleveland Browns

NFL: Combine - Source: Imagn

The Cleveland Browns face quarterback uncertainty after Deshaun Watson re-tore his Achilles this offseason. The three-time Pro Bowler has appeared in just 19 games over three seasons in Cleveland, creating an urgent need at the position.

In a mock draft from Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports published on Sunday, the Browns select Colorado star Travis Hunter with the second overall pick. This is before trading up from pick 33 to acquire the Los Angeles Rams' 22nd selection for Jaxson Dart.

"The Browns get who they believe can be their quarterback of the future, and make sure they don't miss him, moving from No. 33 to this spot to get him," Trapasso wrote.

#2 New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints have also done significant homework on Jaxson Dart. Athlon Sports' Lou Easterling projected New Orleans selecting the Ole Miss quarterback with the ninth overall pick in his four-round mock draft released on Friday.

"Is this way too early for Dart? Absolutely. Does that mean it won't happen? Of course not. The NFL has a long history of overdrafting the next-best quarterback on the board when a team is desperate, and that's exactly what the Saints are right now," Easterling wrote.

The Saints' interest comes amid reported tensions between new head coach Kellen Moore and current quarterback Derek Carr. The team appears focused on finding their quarterback of the future for 2026.

#3 New York Giants

The New York Giants represent another potential landing spot despite recently signing veterans Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston. According to Rapoport, the Giants have shown considerable interest in Dart while holding the third overall pick.

This creates an interesting dynamic where the Giants might need to trade back into the first round to secure Dart's services. NFL insiders suggest the Steelers at pick 21 could target Dart, potentially forcing teams like the Giants to move up if they want to land the Ole Miss standout.

The 2025 NFL Draft will take place from April 24 to 26 in Green Bay, Wisconsin, giving teams just weeks to finalize their evaluations of the former Rebels standout.