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Jaxson Dart isn't a one-man wrecking crew for Ole Miss, but he is the head honcho on offense entering 2024. He'll be the reason why Rebels everywhere can sleep well leading up to the regular season as Lane Kiffin's squad looks poised to make a run at the College Football Playoff.

But what would happen if Dart got injured and missed time? Would Ole Miss still be a contender for the postseason? More importantly, how will life be in Oxford once Dart departs for the NFL next offseason?

A team is only as strong as its backup situation. Luckily, Ole Miss has a quality backup waiting for his time in Walker Howard. On3 would tend to agree.

In the latest QB room rankings from the website, On3 listed Ole Miss as the No. 7 quarterback room in the country. The company mentioned both Dart and Howard's progress in Kiffin's offense, but also mentioned redshirt freshman Austin Simmons, who could take over as QB1 beginning in 2025 with proper training.

Ole Miss has a solid stable of quarterbacks led by former USC 5-star , who is the Rebels’ cemented starter and one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC in 2024. Behind Dart,  could turn to former LSU transfer Walker Howard or  if need be.

It will be interesting to see how Kiffin navigates the post-Dart world next season, but for now, Ole Miss’ quarterback room ranks among the best in the country. - ON3's Jesse Simonton

Dart is coming off a career season as the savior to get Ole Miss over the hump of 10-win campaigns. Not only did he post record-setting numbers in passing yards (3,364), total touchdowns (31) and completion percentage (65.1 percent), but he also threw a career-low five interceptions.

Dart also guided Ole Miss to its best finish in program history at 11-2, capped off with a Peach Bowl win over No. 8 Penn State. Back for his "Last Dance," Dart headlines an offense featuring seniors Tre Harris, Jordan Watkins, Caden Prieskorn and Henry Parrish Jr., who recently returned to Oxford after a two-year stint at Miami.

The Rebels also brought over SEC standouts Antwane 'Juice' Wells (South Carolina) and Logan Diggs (LSU) who should factor into a top-10 offensive metric. As for Howard, he was one of the more sought-after recruits before committing to LSU as part of the 2022 cycle, and later was a household name in the transfer portal.

The SEC continues to rack up awards entering 2024, including quarterback room praise. Seven of the 10 schools mentioned hail from the Southeastern Conference, including top-ranked Texas with Quinn Ewers and the can't-miss Arch Manning.

Georgia (No.4), Alabama (No. 5), LSU (No. 8), Florida (No. 9) and Texas A&M (No. 10) also made the list.

The Rebels open the 2024 season at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Aug. 31 against FCS Furman.

This article first appeared on FanNation The Grove Report and was syndicated with permission.

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