Rajvir Bal Compares Jaxson Dart to Brett Favre

I was one of the first draft analysts to place an early first-round grade on Ole Miss quarterback (QB) Jaxson Dart.

Since then, Dart has skyrocketed to the No. 21 consensus pick on NFL Mock Draft Database’s Consensus Big Board, which tracks analysts’ perception of prospects.

NFL.com Analyst Charles Davis has also mocked Dart No. 3 overall to the New York Giants in his latest mock draft.

So far, my take seems to be trending upwards.

I knew it was time to turn the tape back on and see if I still feel the same way.

Spoiler alert: I do.

Dart has me fired up.

Background

Dart was a four-star recruit and initially committed to USC (247Sports). That is where he spent his freshman season before transferring to Ole Miss in 2022.

Dart’s Stats:

2023:

233/358 (65.1%)

3,364 yards 

23 touchdowns

Five interceptions

2024:

276/398 (69.3%)

4,279 yards (SEC High)

29 touchdowns

Six interceptions

Dart measures within the 33rd percentile for height and 54th percentile for weight in the QB position (nfldraftbuzz.com)

#2 Jaxson Dart 6-foot-2, 223 pounds 
Rajvir Bal’s 2025 NFL Draft Grade: Early First-Round (I would select him)
Projected by 14.1% of the NFL Draft Community to be a first-round pick as of March 25, 2025 (nflmockdraftdatabase.com)

Jaxson Dart Off to a Quick Start in 2024 (4 games evaluated)

Additional 2024 game film reviewed: Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Duke, South Carolina, and Mississippi State (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

The Gunslinger

Dart is the quintessential gunslinger. He plays aggressively and goes for the defense’s throat.

He’s like Superman on the football field, constantly looking to make the most jaw-dropping plays available. He has big arm strength and elite deep ball placement. The velocity on his passes is beautiful, and the way he locates his receivers outside of the numbers is nothing short of impressive. His off-script playmaking is notable.

Tough As Nails

What happens after the interception? Dart comes back swinging and doesn’t get rattled. I can see the fearlessness in his eyes.

I always ask myself, ‘How does this prospect respond to adversity? Does he quit? Is there an inward frustration?“

For Dart, he rinses it off and gets ready to light up the defense on the next drive with what seems like impossible throws. It’s a rare trait.

Ceiling?

He has consistently been improving. This leads me to believe that we still haven’t seen Dart’s full potential and that his best football is ahead of him.

Fun Fact

Dart had a higher completion percentage in his final college season than last year’s first overall pick (CHI), QB Caleb Williams did at USC (68.6%).

Drawbacks

Falls out of a rhythm occasionally. Accuracy is streaky; will look deadeye one play, awful the next. Being a gunslinger comes with a problem, though- and it’s the risky plays. Dart puts the ball in harm’s way just a bit too much for my liking. Taking risks comes with a price, and occasionally, the risks end in an interception.

Other issues:

• Sometimes doesn’t put enough air under the ball
• Can get rattled by pressure
• Needs to improve at reading a defense
• Played worse in the rain

Ten Adjectives

Fearless. Aggressive. Strong-armed. Playmaker. Risky. Clutch. Resilient. Improvisational. Gritty. Streaky.

NFL Crystal Ball

Las Vegas Raiders

New Orleans Saints

Pittsburgh Steelers

Pro Comp: Three-time NFL MVP and 11-time Pro-Bowler Brett Favre

Role on team: Top-end QB1 with MVP potential.

Final Words

Dart is the type of player who transforms a franchise. The team that drafts him isn’t just getting a quarterback, they’re getting a future MVP contender.

Rajvir Bal is a high school student from the Virginia area. He grew up a rabid Washington Redskins fan, attending more than 30 games, and has enjoyed the team’s high points and low points throughout his life. He plays varsity football and basketball. Rajvir has taken an interest in the NFL Draft since middle school when his team picked Montez Sweat and Dwayne Haskins in the first round. His favorite NFL player ever flips between Rob Gronkowski and Brett Favre, and his favorite athlete is LeBron James. He has been writing his own scouting reports since 2020, and is excited for the opportunities FirstRoundMock provides.