The quarterback rankings for the 2025 NFL Draft remain unsettled. Miami’s Cam Ward leads the class and is viewed by many as a frontrunner for the No. 1 overall pick. However, Ole Miss signal-caller Jaxson Dart is gaining momentum, possibly surpassing Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders for the QB2 spot.
Sanders posted 4,134 yards and 37 touchdowns in 2024 while completing 74% of his passes, but concerns linger. He endured 42 sacks, with one NFL coach stating, “40% of them were due to slow processing.” His status as Deion Sanders’ son also brings added scrutiny, as some front offices hesitate over the media attention. Still, some teams are considering entirely different approaches at quarterback.
NFL Scouts Debate Dart vs. Sanders, But Some May Pass on Both
As the 2025 NFL Draft approaches, teams are sharply divided on the quarterback hierarchy behind projected No. 1 pick Cam Ward. The spotlight has turned toward Ole Miss’ Dart and Colorado’s Sanders, who are locked in a close battle for the QB2 spot. However, the debate extends beyond which quarterback is better — it includes the possibility that some organizations may choose neither.
On The Herd, Todd McShay told Colin Cowherd that one NFL team has “a slightly higher grade on Dart than they do on Sanders.” While acknowledging that this doesn’t guarantee either quarterback will be drafted by that franchise, McShay’s insight underscores how divided evaluations are behind the consensus top pick.
“I have identical grades on them,” he said, noting the differing qualities that separate them
Dart’s draft stock is on the rise for a good reason. He was named first-team All-SEC in 2024 after throwing for 4,279 yards and 29 touchdowns while leading Ole Miss to a 10-2 season. His Gator Bowl performance against Duke added to the momentum — a 77.1% completion rate, 404 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions in a 52-20 win.
That level of production, combined with his physical traits, makes him a compelling prospect.
“Bigger arm, bigger kid, more mobile,” McShay said of Dart. “Accuracy is good but not quite at the level of Shedeur.”
Yet Sanders presents a different profile. He completed 74% of his passes for 4,134 yards and 37 touchdowns in 2024, though he was sacked 42 times. McShay also pointed to misconceptions about Sanders’ athleticism:
“He’s not fast at all. I bet he’d run like a 4.8 in the 40 if he ever ran one.”
However, he praised Sanders as the
“fastest processor of all these quarterbacks in the passing game,” calling him the “best pure passer in terms of touch, timing, layering the football.”
Despite their contrasting styles, both Dart and Sanders carry traits that could intrigue NFL teams. Still, McShay cautioned that some franchises may opt to go in entirely different directions.
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“That team may not draft either of these quarterbacks,” he said.
As the draft nears, it’s clear that the QB race remains wide open — and uncertain.
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