With general managers, head coaches, scouts, reporters and draft insiders all sharing information, rumors are surfacing in waves at the NFL Combine. While some rumors have more legs than others, it is important not to take every piece of gossip at face value.
Look no further than Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk sharing that he's heard the Dallas Cowboys have called the Tennessee Titans about the No. 1 overall pick. Again, teams talk at the Combine. Some conversations are more serious than others. This does not meet the serious criteria.
Prospect meetings are a different story.
The same way it's important to avoid overreacting when a player reveals he has not met with the Cowboys in Indianapolis, it's equally vital to not react disproportionately when your favorite prospect confirms they met with the team, whether it be formally or informally.
Why are we hedging so much? Because Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart, a fast-riser on draft boards, revealed on Friday that he met with Dallas at the Senior Bowl and spoke with the team more thoroughly at the Combine, via team writer Patrik Walker.
Cowboys meet with Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart at NFL Combine
— Patrik [No C] Walker (@VoiceOfTheStar) February 28, 2025Jaxson Dart (Ole Miss) spoke with the #Cowboys at the Senior Bowl and more in-depth with them here at the NFL Combine.
Toughness is off the charts (ask Georgia).
Didn’t specify if formal or informal, but there is clear interest from Dallas. pic.twitter.com/y4adxgoksX
How's that for a curveball?
Dart has skyrocketed up draft boards following a fantastic final season at Ole Miss. He led the country with 10.8 yards per attempt and paced the SEC in several passing categories, including completion percentage, passing yards and passer rating. He added 29 passing touchdowns and while he's a pass-first QB, he showcased his dual-threat ability by rushing for 495 yards and three scores.
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Dart's strong arm, ability to elude pressure and mental toughness have him penciled in as QB3 behind Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders. There is growing buzz that Dart could be taken in the top half of the draft, potentially as high as the top 10.
Some draft analysts view Dart as this year's version of Bo Nix, who finished third in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting after throwing for nearly 3,800 yards and 29 TDs to 11 interceptions while leading the Broncos to the playoffs. There are a lot of similarities in Dart and Nix's games.
You might be wondering why the Cowboys met with a potential first-round QB. We have the same questions. Stephen Jones revealed the team wants to draft a quarterback this year to develop behind Dak Prescott, who is signed through 2028 at a whopping $60 million per year.
Don't go thinking now that Dart is in play for Dallas with the No. 12 overall pick. This is probably nothing more than the front office doing its due diligence on a top prospect they like. He might be in play if he fell to day three, but again it seems more likely than not that he'll go in round one.
This is not the Cowboys turning up the heat on Dak Prescott, either. Dart probably won't fall to where Dallas feels comfortable drafting him, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't meet with him.
