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Both father and son are completely in awe watching Jaxson Dart work his magic. And honestly, who could blame them? Dart has been turning heads all over the league, and even Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin couldn’t hold back. Just last week, he shared a post breaking down Dart’s meteoric rise: an 11.9 average depth of target, a 7.1% big-time throw rate, and a solid 10.7 yards per attempt. But the most impressive part? Dart accomplished this while having LESS time to throw (2.77) than the rest of the QBs in the draft class. That stat alone had people buzzing.
Now Dart is making a serious push to QB3. But get this—some oddsmakers are throwing his name into the QB2 conversation, placing him at +1800 odds, just behind Cam Ward. Wild, right? Post-combine, Dart’s stock has just kept climbing. Once projected in the 20s, he’s now edging into top-10 territory. At this point, seeing him go in the first round wouldn’t be a shock to anyone. With 41 starts in 45 games split between USC and Ole Miss, he brings a ton of experience that scouts and teams absolutely love. He led the Rebels to two fantastic seasons—10-3 and 11-2—and now, with the NFL Draft looming, he’s gone from a dependable college QB to one of the hottest prospects out there.
The buzz only amplified after his Pro Day performance, and yes—Lane Kiffin’s 16-year-old son, Knox, was right there front and center, cheering Dart on. The Pro Day was more than a workout—it was a full-on event.
Dart threw around 65 passes that day, opening with some quick lateral throws and then moving into RPO-style plays with ease. His receiving crew included Tre Harris, Juice Wells, Cayden Lee, Caden Prieskorn, and even Henry Parrish, who’s coming off an ACL injury. One of the highlights? A 55-yard sideline dart to Juice Wells that had the whole place buzzing. Sure, there were a few incompletions, but most were drops—not inaccurate passes.
It’s clear Dart’s got a fan in young Knox Kiffin, too. The 2028 class QB prospect has been riding with Dart for a while—remember the “family dinner” post with Dart from last season? He even reshared several draft hype posts this offseason. And after the Pro Day? Knox hit Instagram with a shoutout: “I see u!!” You love to see it—the future star already drawing inspiration from today’s rising talent.
But Dart’s Pro Day wasn’t just family hype—it brought the entire NFL to town. All 32 teams had reps there, with three head coaches in the building. Dart and 25 other players showed up at the Manning Athletics Performance Center in Oxford. Among those keeping a close eye? Saints coach Kellen Moore and Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer. After the session wrapped, even Giants quarterbacks coach Shea Tierney pulled Dart aside for a conversation—fueling even more speculation.
Right now, Dart’s sitting comfortably in the top tier of the 2025 NFL Draft QB class, widely considered QB3 behind Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders. Teams in need of a quarterback—like the Jets and Steelers—are definitely doing their homework. But one name that recently entered the chat? The Los Angeles Rams.
Former NFL GM Mike Tannenbaum tossed out a bold idea on ESPN, connecting Dart with Rams head coach Sean McVay. “If the four of us were running the Rams, we have to assume that Matthew Stafford is a year-to-year proposition,” Tannenbaum said. “If you can get Jaxson Dart, who led the NCAA in yards for pass attempts, which tells me he gets the ball down the field… He has great upside, and if you can pair Jaxson Dart with Sean McVay, sign me up!” Definitely a spicy scenario.
But hang on, there’s another team quietly keeping tabs….
Jaxson Dart to this New York team?
After cutting ties with Daniel Jones, the New York Giants surprised everyone by signing two veteran QBs—Russell Wilson on a one-year deal and Jameis Winston for two years, spending a total of $29 million. Most assumed they were out of the running for a rookie QB with their No. 3 overall pick, but maybe not.
NFL analyst Daniel Jeremiah raised a good point: “Maybe that’s the situation where they come back in for the next pick… somebody that can help them right now.. to complement the two veterans they signed… maybe they swoop back into first round and comeback for one of these quarterbacks like Jaxson Dart.” Makes sense. The Giants could be thinking long-term—letting Wilson and Winston hold things down while Dart develops behind the scenes.
That kind of strategy could really work. They’ve already got experience in the room; adding Dart brings in future potential. SportsCenter analyst Mike Tannenbaum agrees. He was full of praise after Dart’s NFL Combine outing, calling him a legit first-round talent.
“I thought he was clearly the best quarterback on the field yesterday, and in my mind, he is the No. 3 quarterback in this year’s draft,” Tannenbaum said. And after watching him work the Senior Bowl and Combine, he added, “I thought he threw with really good anticipation, good accuracy. Wasn’t perfect, as you alluded to, but again, he’s out working with his receivers.”
Still, Dart isn’t a perfect product yet. His biggest area for improvement? Decision-making under pressure. Scouts haven’t forgotten the Florida game, where he missed reads and struggled with execution despite open receivers. That’s something a coaching staff will need to address before throwing him into the fire.
If the Giants—or any team, really—decide to roll the dice on Dart, they’ll need a clear plan in place to help him grow, not just physically but mentally. But with his raw tools, leadership, and clear upward trajectory, it’s no wonder both dad and son are already on the Dart hype train. At this point, everyone else might want to hop on, too.
The post Jaxson Dart’s Pro Day Hype Soars as Lane Kiffin’s 16YO Son Drops a Bold 3-Word Reaction Instantly appeared first on EssentiallySports.
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