Jaxson Dart has managed to stir up some buzz heading into the 2025 NFL Draft. Through his workouts and interviews, the quarterback seems to have improved his draft stock. But does this really grab attention, or is it just another hot topic for TV?
Pat McAfee Discusses Jaxson Dart’s Rise on Draft Boards
To discuss Dart’s rise, Pat McAfee invited NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah and Ian Rapoport to his show. In typical McAfee fashion, the segment was full of lively discussion and some thoughtful analysis.
McAfee asked, “Number two overall is a lynchpin for potentially the rest of the draft—does another quarterback go there, or does it cause chaos for teams to trade up to get a quarterback like Jaxson Dart?”
“I think the third Quarterback drafted is more than likely gonna be Jaxson Dart..
I don’t think he’s gonna get out of the first round”@danorlovsky7 #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/g7dcKRmI06
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 12, 2025
The idea of a team giving up extensive draft capital to move up for Dart seems odd.
Many draft analysts have him as a player who might fall after the top 10. Dart’s draft prediction range is wide — ESPN ranks him 32nd overall, while Pro Football Focus has him at No. 126. That puts him roughly in the 62nd spot, and his average ranking places him fifth among quarterbacks in this class.
So why would a team trade up to grab him? While Dart could evolve into a solid starter, the idea of teams parting with valuable draft picks for him seems outlandish.
Expert Draft Predictions
Let’s take a look at Daniel Jeremiah’s draft history. Last year, Jeremiah was ranked the 52nd most accurate predictor, according to FantasyPros.com. You can read their full methodology here. Despite his successes, Jeremiah’s past draft takes are a bit controversial.
For instance, in the 2021 draft, Jeremiah ranked Zach Wilson as the second-best player, ahead of Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith. Wilson barely saw the field after struggling in New York, while Waddle and Smith combined for five 1,000-yard seasons and six playoff appearances.
One of Jeremiah’s wildest takes was comparing Trey Lance to Andrew Luck. Lance has since completed just 56.6% of his passes with five career starts.
Draft analysts often defend bold takes by claiming “no one gets hurt” when predictions don’t pan out. While that’s true, it doesn’t mean analysts should always take contrarian views just to stir things up.
Major draft experts are a bit like weather forecasters—no one really gets hurt by an off prediction, but people still tune in. It’s not like NFL teams are hiring analysts off TV to make major personnel decisions. Unfortunately, we’ve seen instances of organizations making poor choices, only to see one of their big moves fail to materialize.
Dart has the talent and potential to start in the NFL. He possesses all the traits needed to succeed at the highest level. But will any team go all in and give up significant future capital to select him? Probably not. While quarterback is not the deepest position in this draft, teams are unlikely to make Dart the centerpiece of a major trade.
