PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Here is a name you may not have seen to the Steelers in the first round. There is only one draft expert so far that has mocked him in the first round, let alone to the Steelers.
Quarterback Jaxson Dart will be the Steelers first-round pick according to ESPN’s Field Yates. The senior from Mississippi is coming off a great senior season with a 69.3% completion, 4,279 yards, 29 touchdowns, six interceptions and rushed for 495 yards (4.0 yards per attempt).
Dart did confirm on Friday the Steelers talked to him and he called it a ‘great’ conversation and described offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and head coach Mike Tomlin as elite at what they do.
Most NFL Draft experts see Dart as a second-round pick, although Pro Football Focus ranks him as the 126th best player coming out. Yates predicting a first-round selection to the Steelers opened eyes.
To help his senior year Ole Miss brought in former NFL head coach Joe Judge as an offensive analyst. The head coach is offensive guru Lane Kiffin and former Patriots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis’ son is the Rebels OC. The numbers jumped. His improvement from junior to senior year:
· Completion 65.1% junior, 69.3% senior
· Yards 3,364 junior, 4,279 senior
· Touchdowns 23 junior, 29 senior
· Interceptions 5 junior, 6 senior
· Rushing 389 junior with 8 TD, 495 senior, 3 TD
He ranked first in FBS in passing yards per attempt and led all of FBS with 4,774 total yards.
Dart had a pair of huge games against non-Power Four teams in 2024 throwing for five touchdowns (added rushing TD) against Furman and four against Georgia Southern. He threw for 515 yards with six touchdowns (three 60+ yards) against 7-6 Arkansas. The Utah native also led a 28-10 win over Georgia throwing for 199 yards with a touchdown on 13-22 passing. He thrashed Duke 27-35, 404 yards, four touchdowns in being named the Gator Bowl MVP. He lost to LSU in overtime completing 57% of his passes and to Florida completing 58% of his passes with two interceptions.
Dart believes he’s very similar to Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, most notably in terms of his versatility and ability to run. Toughness is not a question with three-year Ole Miss starter, also known for his grit and competitiveness. The numbers will show his accuracy although playing in such an up-tempo offense there are questions about his ability to read defense as he got rid of the ball quickly. He had a lot of success throwing in the middle, that isn’t a staple of an Arthur Smith offense.
It’s an interesting name. The Steelers need a quarterback. With other needs, is Dart a reach at 21st overall?
Is this Deja vu or something different.