The NFL recently updated its list of who will be attending night one of the Draft, which did not include the Ole Miss quarterback but will see the former Crimson Tide signal caller be present.
On April 18, the NFL updated its list of which prospects will be attending night one of the 2025 NFL Draft, which will take place on April 24, and failed to include Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart but did showcase Alabama Crimson Tide signal caller Jalen Milore. The move comes as a surprise given that Milroe is currently listed at +130 on FanDuel to be taken in the first round of the Draft, while Dart seems almost like a guarantee at -700. NFL executives are consistently frightened about prospects being forced to sit and wait as they continue to fall down draft boards, including notable names such as Aaron Rodgers, Will Levis and Brady Quinn. Rodgers and Quinn were eventually selected toward the back-end of the first round, but were forced to wait for up to three hours before finally hearing their name called on the night.
The same could be said for one of Milroe or Dart, or both as well if franchises do not hold the belief either can be a long-term solution at the most crucial position in football. Now, there is also the possibility Dart told the NFL that he appreciates the offer but would rather watch the Draft from home with his family and agent, something numerous prospects have chosen to do in the past. As things stand currently, however, it creates considerable confusion as to what the NFL may have heard from teams and/or owners that has caused Dart to be taken off the list of round one attendees. This is also not meant to doubt Milroe being selected in the first round, moreso that to see his name be included on the attendees list while having +130 odds to be taken on April 24 compared to Dart at -700 comes as quite the shock.
Dart, who will turn 22 on May 13, played at Ole Miss with head coach Lane Kiffin, who is known for installing an offense that is meant to ease the burden of any quarterback leading that side of the ball. Some franchises may be scared off that it takes Dart longer than normal to find his second read or make a play when the first option breaks down, but he still threw for nearly 4,300 yards with 29 touchdowns and just six interceptions throughout 2024-2025. His ceiling for where he could be drafted during round one most likely begins with the New Orleans Saints at ninth overall, while franchises such as the Cleveland Browns, New York Giants or Las Vegas Raiders trading back into the first round remains as an option as well.
There is always a chance he falls, though, as the NFL and fans have seen with the likes of Levis and Malik Willis in recent time, although both weren’t quite held in the same regard as Dart has been throughout the 2025 pre-draft process. Milroe, having turned 22 during December, had more of an inconsistent 2024-2025 than Dart, throwing for just 2,844 yards, 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions but also adding 726 yards and 20 scores on the ground. His dynamic running ability can help make up for some poor decision making while throwing the football, although Milroe showcased safer habits in 2023-2024 when he threw for 2,834 yards, 23 touchdowns and just six interceptions. Perhaps finding a middle ground between trusting his legs and becoming a strong pocket passer can be found, leading to hope for a franchise that could be looking to pull off a similar trade-up maneuver as previously mentioned for Dart.
New York, for example, has met with Dart and Milroe in recent time to get a final look at how each could fit within the organization, but the franchise has also met prospects like Shedeur Sanders, Tyler Shough and Kyle McCord, seemingly just completing its due diligence a week prior to the Draft. On FanDuel, both Cleveland and New York are expected to pass on quarterbacks at numbers two and three overall, instead opting for Travis Hunter (-700) in the Browns’ case, and Abdul Carter (-500) for the Giants. The Tennessee Titans, holding the first overall pick of the draft, have long been expected to take Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward with the top selection, currently holding odds of -20000.
No matter how the night of April 24 plays out, however, the recent move by the NFL to not include Dart on the list of prospects attending the first round created loads of intrigue with less than seven days before the draft. Milroe has seemingly ascended some draft boards despite a difficult 2024-2025, while dart has either told the NFL he will pass on the invite or is being doubted because of his simplified offensive system in college. Both certainly have the attributes to become long-term starters in the NFL, but enough question marks remain to not be seen in the same light as that of Ward or Sanders, who are essentially guaranteed to hear their names called quite early on opening night.
