Dawgs By Nature
The Browns need a QB. Would they take a shot on Jaxson Dart later in the first round?
It is hard to talk about the Cleveland Browns without talking about quarterbacks.
Bridge quarterbacks. Developmental quarterbacks. Rookie quarterbacks. Quarterbacks that made the earth move. Quarterbacks at fast casual restaurants in the suburbs. Quarterbacks that have no business being on an NFL roster. The Browns have intimate knowledge about every type of quarterback imaginable, with one major exception.
Related: NFL draft: QB Jaxson Dart’s leadership, experience has him prepared for the NFL
The quarterback who can elevate the team, lock down the starter’s role for a decade, and lead the club on deep playoff runs has eluded the franchise since the late 1980s.
The Browns are expected to address the position with the No. 2 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft. But if general manager Andrew Berry decides to play the waiting game and hunt for a quarterback later in the draft, he may be eyeing Mississippi quarterback Jaxson Dart.
Name: Jaxson Dart
Position: Quarterback
Height/Weight: 6-foot-2, 223 pounds
2024 stats: 13 games, 69.3 completion percentage, 4,279 passing yards, 29 passing touchdowns, 6 interceptions, 180.7 quarterback rating
Career stats: 45 games, 65.2 completion percentage, 11,970 passing yards, 81 passing touchdowns, 27 interceptions, 158.4 quarterback rating
Average “Big Board” Position as of Publishing Date from Mock Draft Database: 31st overall/first-round selection
The Draft Network’s Grade/Round Value: Day 2 - Winning Starter
What an Expert is Saying
Lance Zierlein at NFL.com:
Three-year SEC starter who saw improvement in play and production season after season. Dart has a stocky build and average physical attributes but good makeup and intangibles. He’s fairly accurate and rarely overcomplicates things for himself. He won’t strike anyone as a running quarterback, but he can find tough yards on the ground. He can make full-field reads but looks more comfortable grazing from the trough of the simple. He will need to work with better anticipation and decisiveness to win in tight windows as a pro. Teams might see physical and play similarities between Dart and Brock Purdy but such a pathway for Dart likely requires a balanced, ball-control passing attack that allows him to manage the game instead of driving it.
What an Expert is Saying (Bonus Round):
Nick Akridge at PFF:
At Ole Miss, he did a great job of constantly getting the ball where it was designed to go depending on the coverage. He was decisive with where to throw when he could quickly identify the coverage. He knew where that coverage was weak and how to exploit it. That didn’t really change when pockets were congested, and it’s why his under pressure PFF grade was one of the highest in the nation. He was able to stand and deliver in those tight pockets because he knew where the ball was supposed to go.
While Dart brings really good qualities and shows flashes in certain areas, he doesn’t really have that elite trait. His...
