Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart Named to Maxwell Award Preseason Watch List

The Ole Miss Rebels quarterback is getting ready for a breakout season in Oxford.

Dec 30, 2023; Atlanta, GA, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart (2) prepares for a game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Jaxson Dart has put everyone on notice.

Dart, the third-year gunslinger for Ole Miss' offense, was named to the Maxwell Award Preseason Watch List, as announced by the Maxwell Football Club on Monday. He is one of 80 players nationally to make the preseason watch list, as well as one of 15 from the SEC.

The Maxwell Award has been presented to the College Player of the Year since 1937 and is named in honor of Robert "Tiny" Maxwell, who was a former standout at Swarthmore College and a renowned sportswriter and football official.

Dart looks to be the main answer for the Rebels in 2024. He's coming off the best season of his career in 2023 after leading Ole Miss to its first 11-win season in program history.

A semifinalist for the 2023 Davey O'Brien Award, Dart completed 65.1 percent of his passes for 3,364 yards, 23 touchdowns and only five interceptions. As a runner, he finished with 389 yards on 119 carries and scored eight times.

Not only was Dart perfect for Ole Miss, he was among the top gunslingers in the SEC. Last season, he finished top-20 nationally in yards per attempt (eighth, 9.4), yards per completion (10th, 14.4), total offense (16th, 288.7 YPG) and total passing yards (20th, 3,364).

Nov 23, 2023; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart (2) runs the ball during the second half against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports / Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

Dart also posted some of the best numbers Rebel quarterback in program history. He finished second in passing efficiency (162.4), second in yards per attempt (9.4), third in completion percentage (65.1), third in yards per completion (14.4), fifth in passing yards (3,364), fifth in total offense (3,753) and sixth in touchdowns (23).

Semifinalists for the Maxwell Award will be announced on Nov. 12. The three finalists for the Maxwell Award will be unveiled Nov. 26.

The winner of the 88th Maxwell Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on Dec 12. The formal presentations of the Maxwell Award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards on March 14, 2025 at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Ga.

Other quarterbacks listed from the SEC include Alabama's Jalen Milroe, Florida's Graham Mertz, Georgia's Carson Beck, LSU's Garrett Nussmeier, Missouri's Brady Cook, Oklahoma's Jackson Arnold, Tennessee's Nico Iamaleava, Texas' Quinn Ewers, and Texas A&M's Conner Weigman.