There's sure to be some shakeup in upcoming NFL mock drafts leading up to the actual event at the end of April.
With the NFL combine having wrapped up and meetings now being scheduled between teams and top prospects, there's going to be rumors, slop, and reporting between now and the draft about how certain quarterbacks have risen on big boards, and how others have fallen.
We've already begun to see some changes in thinking from teams about who might be considered a top pick in this year's draft, and that's thanks to a combination of performances in the Senior Bowl and during this past weekend's combine.
As a result of that change in philosophy, the Cleveland Browns might find themselves on the outside looking in on two prospects they might've considered taking later in the draft.
NFL insider reports Jaxson Dart & Jalen Milroe are rising on big boards
Jaxson Dart, the former Ole Miss starting quarterback, appears to be gaining fans in NFL front offices. The Athletic's NFL insider Jeff Howe reported that, after the NFL combine, Dart has become a potential first round pick. Teams like the New York Jets or New York Giants who may not be able to snag the No. 1 overall pick from the Tennessee Titans could go for Dart at No. 7 or 3, respectively.
"Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart is a name to watch. Teams believed Dart solidified himself as a first-rounder during his week at the Senior Bowl. And last week at the combine, two teams strongly believed Dart would be taken in the top half of the opening round," wrote Howe on Dart's stock after this weekend's drills.
He added that Jalen Milroe, another high ceiling quarterback that just hasn't stuck out for teams in need of a starter under center headed into 2025, is a name that's been rising on teams' big boards. The former Alabama quarterback really thrived under OC Tommy Rees, who is now the OC for Cleveland.
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On Milroe, Howe said, "Milroe appears to have the highest ceiling among that tier. When he plays with confidence, he makes quicker decisions — as a passer and runner — and pops on tape. His performance against Georgia tantalized evaluators. But there were too many occasions when Milroe was too sped up, sometimes getting himself stuck in the pocket, and looking like a longer-developing project."
"But if there’s a team that gets it right with the Milroe plan, he’s viewed as the prospect who would make teams want to kick themselves years from now."
That has to be intriguing for a team like the Browns, who can immediately pair Milroe with a familiar play caller in Rees and with a coach who has a track record of developing even veteran signal callers into winning quarterbacks like head coach Kevin Stefanski.
He'd make for a great contingency plan, along with Dart, if the team loses out on Cam Ward at No. 2 overall and if they're unconvinced of Shedeur Sanders' ability to succeed with them.