The quarterback class in the upcoming NFL Draft has not drawn rave reviews, but one name may be surging up draft boards after the NFL Combine.
Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart solidified himself as a likely first-round pick with his Senior Bowl showing, and may have gone even further than that. According to Jeff Howe of The Athletic, at least two teams strongly believe Dart will be selected in the top half of the first round.
That would represent a meteoric rise for Dart, who was viewed as a probable second-round pick when the draft process began. Even after the Senior Bowl, there was speculation that he might be able to get into the first round, though things had not been solidified at that point.

Ultimately, there are enough teams in need of a quarterback. Combine that with solid enough showings from Dart, and he may be solidified as a top-16 selection, even in what appears to be an underwhelming set of options at the position.
This could represent bad news for some teams who had probably hoped to get a shot at Dart early in the second round. That scenario appears less likely with each passing day, and will force them to look for alternatives.
Dart led the SEC in 2024 with 4,279 passing yards. He also threw 29 touchdown passes to go with six interceptions for an Ole Miss team that went 10-3 on the season.