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The Ole Miss Rebels are being touted for a big season, and one of the reasons is Jaxson Dart, the third-year quarterback talent who is poised to thrive under coach Lane Kiffin.
The quarterback received some high praise from Ole Miss alumni and NFL legend Eli Manning, who is worth $160 million per Celebrity Net Worth, after the former interacted with him at the Manning Passing Academy in Louisiana.
While speaking to reporters after a session, Manning praised Dart's personality after having dinner with him.
“I’ve been to games, I’ve seen him briefly, but first time really getting to sit down with him, hang out with him, be on stage, tell some stories,” Manning said. “And so just enjoy his personality. I was able to take some light-hearted digs at him, he reciprocated and did the same to me, which is fun. That’s what it’s all about. Kind of makes it special for the group.”
“But got to hang with him last night a little bit and eat dinner with him so just seems like a great kid and got a good head on his shoulders and excited about his future,” Manning said.
Jaxson Dart headlines optimism around Ole Miss
The optimism around the Ole Miss Rebels revolves around coach Lane Kiffin leading the program after their best-ever record (11-2) last season and the returning class of starters from last season, including quarterback Jaxson Dart.
The charismatic Kiffin also managed to recruit the No. 1 class from the transfer portal (per 247Sports) to increase the hype surrounding his team.
Eli Manning spoke about the expectations around the Ole Miss Rebels to reporters at the Manning Passing Academy, highlighting the role Jaxson Dart would play in making them a reality.
"I've seen the expectations before," Manning said. "It doesn't always work out that well, but I think this year, I hope it's different. I think it's some true excitement for good reasons, and a lot of it is Jaxson Dart, and a lot of it is offensive line, receivers, and talent they have on defense. Look forward to watching them, hopefully getting to some games, and hopefully they can make a good run."
It has been 61 years since the Rebels won any conference championship, and next season is seen as a chance to correct that long-standing record and be included in the expanded 12-team college football playoff bracket.
The pressure will be on Lane Kiffin to achieve those goals, but it will be shared by quarterback Jaxson Dart, who will have to carry the team to those lofty heights.
