Analyst repeats controversial take on draft stocks of Jaxson Dart, Shedeur Sanders

Connor Hughes of SNY and Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic are among NFL insiders who have relayed since the scouting combine that "some" in the league consider Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart, not Colorado's Shedeur Sanders, as the second-best quarterback in this year's draft class, behind only Miami's Cam Ward.

ESPN analyst Jordan Reid discussed the subject for an update offered on Friday.

"Dart's stock has continued to rise since the Senior Bowl," Reid explained. "He's the third-best QB on my board, and with Miami's Cam Ward and Colorado's Shedeur Sanders likely going in the first six picks, there will be plenty of Day 1 landing spots for Dart. I've heard he's actually the second-best QB on some teams' boards. That bodes well for his first-round potential."

While most assume the Tennessee Titans will select Ward unless they receive a "Godfather offer" for the draft's first pick, it's unclear if the Cleveland Browns (pick No. 2) or New York Giants (No. 3) will take Sanders over Penn State pass-rusher Abdul Carter and Colorado wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter. Meanwhile, the New York Jets (No. 7) are reportedly "enamored with Dart."

"Dart could start right away with a team such as the Steelers (No. 21), and the Saints (No. 9) or Rams (No. 26) might view him as an eventual starter," ESPN's Field Yates wrote in Friday's piece. "Additionally, we could see a team such as the Browns trade up from early Round 2 into late Round 1, securing Dart and the fifth-year option that comes with all first-round contracts."

Interestingly, ESPN's Matt Miller said he thinks Sanders could slide "to Pittsburgh at pick No. 21 overall, which in turn could push Dart down the board." 

However, it sounds as if Sanders has "hit the wrong notes" with teams during the scouting process, so much so that one quarterback-needy club could seriously consider selecting Dart ahead of him if he is still on the board when the New England Patriots are on the clock at No. 4.