The first wave of free agency is over, which means mock draft season is in full swing for the New Orleans Saints. While the team continued to restructure deals and spend big on aging free agents, they also cleared up cap space for the future. For the first time in forever, the Saints are not projected to be over next year’s salary cap. While Derek Carr is still in town, their financial situation suggests the team is finally beginning to look toward the future with first-year head coach Kellen Moore replacing Dennis Allen.
With this in mind, Pro Football Network has the Saints selecting their quarterback of the future in their latest mock draft. Holding on to the ninth-overall selection, PFN believes New Orleans will select Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart as their franchise’s next face.
“Dart is a dual-threat quarterback with mobility and the ability to extend plays. His arm strength is promising, but improving his accuracy and decision-making under pressure will be a priority. Pairing him with Moore and Chris Olave could set the stage for a Saints resurgence.
Saints Select Quarterback Jaxson Dart In Latest Mock Draft
Jaxson Dart the Prospect
Before discussing his fit with the New Orleans Saints in this mock draft, we must first discuss Jaxson Dart as a prospect. A two-sport athlete, Dart’s background in baseball gives him a strong throwing motion that allowed him to dominate the college football landscape as a senior. Playing in 13 games, Dart finished his final collegiate season with 4,276 yards, 29 touchdowns, and six interceptions. While those are solid numbers, film is the most important part of any prospect evaluation.
Dart never shied away from aggressively pushing the ball downfield, as his 1,517 deep passing yards led all of college football, per Pro Football Focus. Additionally, the quarterback plays well within a system and executes the basics of the position without falling out of structure. When plays fall apart, he has the athleticism to make something out of nothing, although he’s nowhere close to being an elite athlete like Lamar Jackson or Josh Allen.
While there are good moments on his tape, there are a lot of red flags. Dart has a strong arm by college standards, but he lacks elite arm strength. This could be an issue at the professional level, as his deep passing attempts could be intercepted when throwing against bigger and stronger defensive backs who can cover more distance in a shorter time. Additionally, Ole Miss operated an easy offense that created open throwing lanes and rarely required Dart to put the offense on his back. He has yet to demonstrate an ability to consistently read the field, set his feet, and make tough throws in difficult situations.
Did the Saints Reach In This Mock Draft
This is a weak quarterback draft class, and there is a reason Jaxson Dart is generally considered to be the third-best prospect in this underwhelming group. While he has some positive traits, he’s not a top-10 type of prospect. The Saints need a long-term answer under center, but using a top-10 pick on Dart would be a massive mistake. Frankly, they might be able to get him in the second round when the actual draft rolls around.
If this mock draft is correct and the Saints end up with Jaxson Dart, it probably won’t spell the end of Derek Carr. As mentioned previously, Ole Miss ran a simple offense and Dart could use his rookie season as a glorified redshirt year while getting acclimated to life in the NFL. If he does well in practice, he should start in 2026 while Carr joins a new team.
Main Photo: Kirby Lee – Imagn Images
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