Ole Miss starting quarterback Jaxson Dart announced his intention to enter the 2025 NFL draft on Friday, but he won’t pass up the chance to play against Duke in next week’s TaxSlayer Gator Bowl.
”I CAN’T WAIT to put on that #2 Ole Miss jersey for one last ride with my guys,” Dart wrote in a statement on social media. “As always, I promise to leave every ounce of what I’ve got on that football field one last time for Ole Miss.”
Dart’s availability for the game was the biggest question left for the Rebels. In his third year as the Ole Miss starter, he threw for a career-high 3,875 yards and 25 touchdowns this season. He averaged 10.7 yards per attempt, another personal best, and commandeered an offense that averaged 37.5 points per game.
The Blue Devils allowed 6.0 yards per pass attempt this season, tied for 12th among FBS defenses, but they’ve seldom faced a team like Ole Miss. The Miami Hurricanes were the only ACC offense with numbers to rival the Rebels, and Heisman Trophy finalist Cam Ward threw for 400 yards and five touchdowns against Duke.
Dart’s top weapon, wideout Tre Harris (60 receptions, 1,030 yards, and seven touchdowns), won’t play after he battled some injuries down the stretch, but a deep Ole Miss receiver room will probably find ways to compensate for his absence.