OXFORD — Ole Miss senior quarterback Jaxson Dart keeps making history.
The Utah native and third-year starter for the No. 6 Rebels (4-0) has thrown for 1,554 yards through the first four games of the 2024 season. It’s the most passing yards by an SEC quarterback through four games in the last 20 years, according to ESPN/SEC Network, surpassing even the gaudy numbers Joe Burrow posted in his Heisman Trophy-winning season in 2019.
To put into context just how impressive Dart’s start to the 2024 season has been, below are the SEC’s leading passers from 2005 through the early part of this season. Included are the yardage totals each quarterback threw for through four games and a bit of background on how their respective seasons and careers went.
The quarterbacks
■ 2005: Jay Cutler, Vanderbilt — 3,073 yards in 11 games, 1,131 through first four games (W vs. Wake Forest, W vs. Arkansas, W vs. Ole Miss, W vs. Richmond)
The Commodores started the 2005 season 4-0 before losing their next six games and winning their season finale against Tennessee. Cutler was the SEC Offensive Player of the Year and was the 11th overall selection in the 2006 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. Cutler threw for 35,133 yards and 227 touchdowns over 12 NFL seasons.
■ 2006: Andre Woodson, Kentucky — 3,515 yards in 13 games, 931 yards through first four games (L vs. Louisville, W vs. Texas State, W vs. Ole Miss, L vs. Florida)
Woodson led the SEC in passing yards in consecutive seasons. In 2006, Woodson led the Wildcats to an 8-5 record and Music City Bowl win over Clemson. It was the program’s first bowl appearance since 1999.
■ 2007: Andre Woodson, Kentucky — 3,709 yards in 13 games, 1,008 yards through four games (W vs. EKU, W vs. Kent State, W vs. Louisville, W vs. Arkansas)
Kentucky started the season 5-0 and ranked as high as No. 8 in the AP Poll. The Wildcats lost five of seven to end the regular season before winning the Music City Bowl once again. Woodson, who was second-team All-SEC, was drafted by the New York Giants in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft.
■ 2008: Matthew Stafford, Georgia — 3,459 yards in 13 games, 919 yards through four games (W vs. Georgia Southern, W vs. Central Michigan, W vs. South Carolina, W vs. Arizona State)
After winning the Sugar Bowl the previous season, Georgia was the preseason No. 1 team in college football. The Bulldogs finished the 2008 season 10-3 and won the Capital One Bowl. Stafford was second-team All-SEC and was drafted first overall by the Detroit Lions in the 2009 NFL Draft. Stafford, who won a Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams, has thrown for 56,801 yards and 359 touchdowns over 16 seasons. He is 11th all-time in passing yards in NFL history.
■ 2009: Ryan Mallett, Arkansas — 3,624 yards in 13 games, 1,148 yards through four games (W vs. Missouri State, L vs. Georgia, L vs. Alabama, W vs. Texas A&M)
Originally a transfer from Michigan, Mallett led the SEC in passing two-straight seasons. In 2009, Mallett led the Razorbacks to an 8-5 record and Liberty Bowl win over East Carolina.
■ 2010: Ryan Mallett, Arkansas — 3,869 yards in 13 games, 1,438 yards through four games (W vs. Tennessee Tech, W vs. ULM, W vs. Georgia, L vs. Alabama)
Mallett and the Razorbacks were a preseason top-25 team and finished the regular season 10-2 — winning their last six — with ranked wins over South Carolina, Mississippi State and LSU. Arkansas lost to Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl 31-26. Mallett was named second-team All-SEC; the first-place nod went to Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton. He was a third-round pick by the New England Patriots in the 2011 NFL Draft.
■ 2011: Tyler Wilson, Arkansas — 3,638 yards in 13 games, 1,007 yards through four games (W vs. Missouri State, W vs. New Mexico, W vs. Troy, L vs. Alabama)
Wilson was a first-team All-SEC selection in his first year as Arkansas’ starter. The Razorbacks went 11-2 and finished the season ranked No. 5 in the AP Poll. Wilson was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL Draft.
■ 2012: Aaron Murray, Georgia — 3,893 yards in 13 games, 1,092 yards through four games (W vs. Buffalo, W vs. Missouri, W vs. FAU, W vs. Vanderbilt)
Murray ended his storied career as the SEC’s all-time leading passer with a whopping 13,166 yards. The Bulldogs went 12-2 in 2012 — they lost in heartbreaking fashion to Alabama in the SEC title game — and finished the season ranked No. 5 in the AP Poll. Murray, who was honorable-mention All-SEC in 2012, was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft.
■ 2013: Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M — 4,114 yards in 13 games, 1,228 yards through four games (W vs. Rice, W vs. Sam Houston, L vs. Alabama, W vs. SMU)
Manziel won the Heisman Trophy in 2012 as a redshirt freshman and finished fifth in 2013. The Aggies went 9-4 in 2013 and finished the season ranked No. 18 in the AP Poll. Manziel was the 22nd overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. He started eight NFL games, finishing 2-6 with seven touchdowns and seven interceptions.
■ 2014: Dylan Thompson, South Carolina — 3,574 yards in 13 games, 1,140 yards through four games (L vs. Texas A&M, W vs. ECU, W vs. Georgia, W vs. Vanderbilt)
The Gamecocks went 7-6 in 2014, winning the Independence Bowl against Miami. They defeated No. 6 Georgia in the third week of the season, a game where Thompson threw for 271 and three touchdowns.
■ 2015: Chad Kelly, Ole Miss — 4,042 yards in 13 games, 1,219 yards through four games (W vs. Tennessee-Martin, W vs. Fresno State, W vs. Alabama, W vs. Vanderbilt)
Kelly, who was named second-team All-SEC, led the Rebels to a 10-3 record and Sugar Bowl win over Oklahoma State. Ole Miss averaged just under 41 points per game in 2015 and took down No. 2 Alabama on the road. Kelly was drafted by the Denver Broncos with the 253rd pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. He was the MVP of the CFL in 2023.
■ 2016: Austin Allen, Arkansas — 3,430 yards in 13 games, 1,026 yards through four games (W vs. LA Tech, W vs. TCU, W vs. Texas State, L vs. Texas A&M)
The Razorbacks finished the season 7-6 and ranked as high as No. 17 in the AP Poll. They had ranked wins over TCU, Ole Miss and Florida.
■ 2017: Drew Lock, Missouri — 3,964 yards in 13 games, 1,115 yards through four games (W Vs. Missouri State, L vs. South Carolina, L vs. Purdue, L vs. Auburn)
Lock threw 44 touchdowns in 2017, which was the most in SEC history at the time. The Tigers went 7-6; after winning their opener, they lost their next five games before rallying to win their last six regular-season games. Lock was the 42nd overall pick (second round) of the Denver Broncos in the 2019 NFL Draft.
■ 2018: Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama — 3,966 yards in 15 games, 1,033 through four games (W vs. Louisville, W vs. Arkansas State, W vs. Ole Miss, W vs. Texas A&M)
Tagovailoa became an Alabama hero in the national title game the previous season, coming off the bench at halftime to lead the Crimson Tide to a CFP championship win over Georgia. In his first season as Alabama’s starter, Tagovailoa finished second in Heisman Trophy voting behind Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray. Tagovailoa finished 10th the next season despite a late-season injury that limited him to nine games. He was the fifth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins and has been named to one Pro Bowl.
■ 2019: Joe Burrow, LSU — 5,671 yards in 15 games, 1,520 through four games (W vs. Georgia Southern, W vs. Texas, W vs. Northwestern State, W vs. Vanderbilt)
Burrow had one of the greatest seasons in college football history in 2019, leading LSU to a perfect 15-0 season with one of the most prolific offenses the sport has seen. Burrow threw a then-FBS record 60 touchdown passes and won the 2019 Heisman Trophy. He threw 12 touchdowns and no interceptions in two CFP games. He was the first pick in the 2020 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals and has been selected to one Pro Bowl. He led the Bengals to the AFC title and a Super Bowl berth in 2021.
■ 2020: Mac Jones, Alabama — 4,500 yards in 13 games, 1,518 yards through four games (W vs. Missouri, W vs. Texas A&M, W vs. Ole Miss, W vs. Georgia).
Jones led the Crimson Tide to a 13-0 record and national championship in his lone full season as Alabama’s starting quarterback, which featured an SEC-only regular-season slate due to COVID-19. He finished third in Heisman Trophy voting — his teammate, wide receiver DeVonta Smith, won the award — and was the 15th overall pick by the New England Patriots in the 2021 NFL Draft.
■ 2021: Bryce Young, Alabama — 4,872 yards in 15 games, 1,124 yards through four games (W vs. Miami, W vs. Mercer, W. vs. Florida, W vs. Southern Miss)
In his first season as Alabama’s starter, Young led the Crimson Tide to the national title game, where they eventually lost to Georgia. Young won the Heisman Trophy in 2021 with a nation-leading 47 touchdown passes and finished sixth in voting in 2022. He was the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers.
■ 2022: Stetson Bennett, Georgia — 4,128 yards in 15 games, 1,224 yards through four games (W vs. Oregon, W vs. Samford, W vs. South Carolina, W vs. Kent State)
Bennett began his career as a walk-on and wound up winning consecutive national championships with the Bulldogs, including a perfect 15-0 season in 2022. Bennett finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting in 2022 and was a fourth-round pick by the Los Angeles Rams in the 2023 NFL Draft.
■ 2023: Carson Beck, Georgia — 3,941 yards in 14 games, 1,184 yards through four games (W vs. Tennessee-Martin, W vs. Ball State, W vs. South Carolina, W vs. UAB)
Beck wasted no time in his first season as Georgia’s starting quarterback, leading the SEC in passing yards and the Bulldogs to a 13-1 record, the lone loss coming in the SEC title game to Alabama. Beck was the preseason first-team All-SEC quarterback in 2024 and is a likely first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
■ 2024: Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss — 1,554 yards in four games (W vs Furman, W vs. MTSU, W vs. Wake Forest, W vs. Georgia Southern), projected 4,662 in 12 regular-season games
After throwing 23 touchdowns in 13 games in 2023 — the Rebels went 11-2 and won the Peach Bowl — Dart has already thrown for more than half of last year’s total in just four games. He leads the nation in passing yards, passing efficiency and total offense.
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