“Rising Stars: How Jaxson Dart and Tyler Shough are Turning Heads in the 2025 NFL Draft Race”

As the NFL season winds down, the spotlight shifts towards the highly anticipated NFL Draft. This time of year isn’t just about the looming decisions for teams; it’s a fascinating whirlwind where players see their stock fluctuate dramatically based on new evaluations and extended performances. Coaches and talent evaluators, sharpening their pencils and donning their scouting hats, dive deep into the pool of draft-eligible prospects. The once-broad perceptions of players get reframed through a critical lens, yielding insights shaped by a broader array of game footage and statistics.

This phenomenon is particularly pronounced at the quarterback position. With each new draft class, the quest for a franchise quarterback becomes increasingly desperate, driving teams and fans alike to cling to glimmers of hope like lifelines. In a year marked by a distinct lack of consensus among prospects, we’re left with divergent evaluations that can lead to unpredictable and thrilling outcomes come draft day.

Among this year’s intriguing quarterback prospects, two names have emerged as potential risers: Jaxson Dart from Ole Miss and Tyler Shough from Louisville. Both players have caught the attention of scouts and are positioning themselves to make significant moves up draft boards as the evaluation period heats up.

There’s so much to unpack, so let’s dive deeper and explore what makes these quarterbacks stand out in a crowded class. LEARN MORE.AdvertisementIf Shough were 22, hell even 23, his throwing ability, sack avoidance, and overall athleticism would make him an intriguing name to look at in the back half of the first round. But he’s not. Those are the facts. It might seem like “only a couple of years,” but those are key years of an athlete’s development.And Shough’s ability to avoid sacks also has a caveat. He is, perhaps because of his past injuries, allergic to taking contact. It helps Shough play with a great understanding of when to get rid of the ball and avoiding negative plays, and it should help Shough adjust well to the NFL since he already prefers to pull the ripcord on plays and doesn’t put himself in bad spots. But it can also limit the upside of some plays.As more evaluators give their, well, evaluations, especially those who might have more sway than other members of the scouting staff, then opinions on players start to change. Players’ stocks gain more steam as coaches and general managers look at the players through a different lens and after the college season has completed, with more games and data to assess.

As more evaluators give their, well, evaluations, especially those who might have more sway than other members of the scouting staff, then opinions on players start to change. Players’ stocks gain more steam as coaches and general managers look at the players through a different lens and after the college season has completed, with more games and data to assess.

As more evaluators give their, well, evaluations, especially those who might have more sway than other members of the scouting staff, then opinions on players start to change. Players’ stocks gain more steam as coaches and general managers look at the players through a different lens and after the college season has completed, with more games and data to assess.

As more evaluators give their, well, evaluations, especially those who might have more sway than other members of the scouting staff, then opinions on players start to change. Players’ stocks gain more steam as coaches and general managers look at the players through a different lens and after the college season has completed, with more games and data to assess.

As more evaluators give their, well, evaluations, especially those who might have more sway than other members of the scouting staff, then opinions on players start to change. Players’ stocks gain more steam as coaches and general managers look at the players through a different lens and after the college season has completed, with more games and data to assess.

As more evaluators give their, well, evaluations, especially those who might have more sway than other members of the scouting staff, then opinions on players start to change. Players’ stocks gain more steam as coaches and general managers look at the players through a different lens and after the college season has completed, with more games and data to assess.

As more evaluators give their, well, evaluations, especially those who might have more sway than other members of the scouting staff, then opinions on players start to change. Players’ stocks gain more steam as coaches and general managers look at the players through a different lens and after the college season has completed, with more games and data to assess.

As more evaluators give their, well, evaluations, especially those who might have more sway than other members of the scouting staff, then opinions on players start to change. Players’ stocks gain more steam as coaches and general managers look at the players through a different lens and after the college season has completed, with more games and data to assess.

As more evaluators give their, well, evaluations, especially those who might have more sway than other members of the scouting staff, then opinions on players start to change. Players’ stocks gain more steam as coaches and general managers look at the players through a different lens and after the college season has completed, with more games and data to assess.

AdvertisementAdvertisementNow let’s look at Tyler Shough.

Shough’s athleticism and, uh, experience (again, more on that in a second) also shows up with his ability to avoid sacks. Shough is constantly able to find outlets whenever feeling heated up by pressure in the pocket, stacking up neutral or positive plays where other quarterbacks might start taking on water.AdvertisementDart has tools to work with. He has athleticism and flashes the high-level throws a starting quarterback in the NFL needs to make. Ideally he can sit behind a veteran to continue to iron out some of the kinks, and continue to sharpen his anticipation and understanding of an expanded playbook. There’s some fun stuff to work with here, but I would have reservations selecting Dart in the first round because of a steep learning curve for executing more layered concepts, and the lack of consistency he currently displays.Shough is a good thrower on the move, although he sometimes opts to avoid entering creation mode to get rid of the ball; he ranked second among FBS quarterbacks last year in throwaways with 31. And sometimes that can lead to comical results as Shough gets rid of the football like a hot potato.