Jaxson Dart Named Finalist for 2024 NFF William V. Campbell Trophy

IRVING, Texas– Ole Miss senior starting quarterback Jaxson Dart has been named one of 16 national finalists for the 2024 William V. Campbell Trophy, as announced by the National Football Foundation and the College Football Hall of Fame on Wednesday morning.

Campbell Trophy Info | NFF Scholar-Athlete Info

The William V. Campbell Trophy is college football’s premier scholar-athlete award given annually to an individual recognized as the absolute best in the nation for combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership. The 16 finalists will each receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2024 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class presented by Fidelity Investments.

The 16 finalists were selected from a record number of 204 semifinalists nationwide from among all NCAA divisions and the NAIA.

“We are thrilled to announce this year’s finalists for the Campbell Trophy,” said NFF Chairman and Ole Miss legend Archie Manning, whose sons Peyton (a Campbell Trophy recipient) and Eli were NFF National Scholar-Athletes in 1997 and 2003, respectively. “These exceptional young men embody an unwavering commitment to excellence in all areas of their lives, from the classroom to the football field. They truly represent the best of college football, and we know they have only begun to reach their potential.”

Dart is the ninth player in Ole Miss history to be named an NFF Scholar-Athlete, joining tailback Steve Hindman (1968), quarterback Norris Weese (1973), offensive tackle Dick Lawrence (1975), quarterback Kent Austin (1985), defensive back Jeff Noblin (1986), offensive lineman Danny Hoskins (1987), tight end and linebacker Wesley Walls (1988), and quarterback Eli Manning (2003).

Dart – a native of Kaysville, Utah – is in his third season as Ole Miss’ starting quarterback in 2024 after transferring from USC his freshman season in 2021. In his overall career, Dart is 727-of-1,124 (64.7 percent) for 10,075 yards and 66 touchdowns with a career rushing line of 1,229 yards and 14 scores on 328 carries – making him one of three active FBS quarterbacks at 11,000 yards of total offense at 11,304.

At 23-9 as a starter, Dart owns the second-most wins of any Ole Miss quarterback of the modern era since Archie Manning’s first start in 1968, needing one more starting victory to tie Eli Manning (24-13) and Bo Wallace (24-15) for the record. Last season, Dart led the Rebels to their first 11-win season in program history at 11-2 – capped by a Peach Bowl victory that saw him break the Ole Miss bowl game passing record at 379 yards against Penn State.

As a Rebel, Dart owns a passing line of 610-of-935 (65.2 percent) for 8,722 yards, 57 touchdowns and an efficiency rating of 159.7. His 1,186 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground also make him one of the best rushing quarterbacks in Ole Miss history, pushing his total offense yardage to 9,908 – putting him within striking distance of Bo Wallace’s all-time record of 10,478.

This season, Dart owns a passing line of 151-of-215 (70.2 percent) for 2,384 yards, 14 touchdowns, three interceptions and an efficiency rating of 182.1. On the ground, Dart owns 183 yards and three scores, pushing his total offense per game average to an SEC-leading 366.7 yards per contest. Dart also leads the FBS in yards per attempt (11.1) and simultaneously leads the SEC and ranks FBS top-10 in total offense (2nd), passing yards (3rd), passing efficiency (3rd), passing offense (4th, 340.6 ypg), yards per completion (4th, 15.8) and completion percentage (8th).

Elsewhere, Dart is currently a member of five national award watch lists for the Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award, Davey O’Brien Award, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and the Manning Award.

In the classroom, Dart owns a 3.71 GPA as a general business major and is on pace to graduate in May 2025. He has been named to the Chancellor’s and Dean’s Honor Rolls twice each, in addition to appearances on the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll and the SEC Honor Roll.

Dart’s involvement in the community includes reading at local elementary schools; the Tim Tebow Foundation’s “Night to Shine” prom for special needs high school students; hosting foster children on campus during a Christmas gift giving program; the annual “Feed the Sip” food drive; a Thanksgiving food drive; and assisting with a water collection drive during the crisis in Jackson, Mississippi.

The finalists will travel to the Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas for the 66th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 10, where their accomplishments will be highlighted in front of one of the most powerful audiences in all of sports. Live during the event, one member of the class will be declared as the winner of the 35th Campbell Trophy and have his postgraduate scholarship increased to $25,000.

Afterward, the recipient of the 2024 Campbell Trophy will be honored at several other prestigious events. On Thurs., Dec. 12, he will be interviewed live during the The Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN. Then on Mon., Dec. 16, a reception will be held in his honor at the New York Athletic Club (NYAC), the official home of the trophy since 2013.

Submitted by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, candidates for the Campbell Trophy must be either a senior player who will complete his final year of eligibility during the 2024 season or be a graduated player or grad transfer who has already earned a bachelor’s degree and will participate in the 2024 season; must have minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale; must have outstanding football ability as a starter/significant contributor; and must have exhibited exemplary leadership on the field, in the classroom and within the community.

2024 William V. Campbell Trophy Finalists

Tahj Brooks, RB – Texas Tech (3.55 GPA – Sport Management)

Robert Coury, LB – Carnegie Mellon [PA] (3.97 GPA – Mechanical Engineering)

Jaxson Dart, QB – Ole Miss (3.71 GPA – Business)

Beau Freyler, DB – Iowa State (3.91 GPA – Kinesiology)

Dillon Gabriel, QB – Oregon (3.43 GPA – Multidisciplinary Studies)

Ashton Gillotte, DL – Louisville (3.69 GPA – Communications)

Brody Grebe, DE – Montana State (3.93 GPA – Mechanical Engineering)

Mark Gronowski, QB – South Dakota State (3.76 GPA – Mechanical Engineering)

Terrance Hollon, LB – Howard (3.90 GPA – Health Science)

Jack Kiser, LB – Notre Dame (3.82 GPA – Business Analytics)

Luke Lehnen, QB – North Central [IL] (3.76 GPA – Exercise Science)

Brayden Long, QB – Slippery Rock [PA] (4.00 GPA – Sport Management)

Jake Majors, C – Texas (3.65 GPA – Business Management)

Seth McLaughlin, C – Ohio State (4.00 GPA – Finance)

Jalen Milroe, QB – Alabama (3.52 GPA – Management)

Jackson Woodard, LB – UNLV (3.77 GPA – Kinesiology)

2024 NFF Campbell Trophy Finalists • Highlights

• 3.77 Average GPA

• 15 captains, including 3 three-year captains (Coury, Gronowski, Hollon) and 6 two-year captains (Freyler, Grebe, Lehnen, Long, Milroe, Woodard)

• 13 players who have already graduated (Brooks, Coury, Gabriel, Gillotte, Grebe, Gronowski, Kiser, Lehnen, Long, Majors, McLaughlin, Milroe, Woodard), including 2 players who have already earned a master’s degree (Kiser, McLaughlin)

• 10 Academic All-America selections (Coury, Freyler, Gillotte, Grebe, Gronowski, Lehnen, Long, Majors, McLaughlin, Woodard)

• 15 players receiving conference academic honors (Brooks, Coury, Dart, Freyler, Gabriel, Gillotte, Grebe, Gronowski, Hollon, Lehnen, Long, Majors, McLaughlin, Milroe, Woodard)

• 6 All-America performers (Coury, Gillotte, Grebe, Gronowski, Lehnen, Long)

• 3 Conference Players of the Year (Gronowski, Lehnen, Long)

• 14 All-Conference selections (Brooks, Coury, Dart, Freyler, Gabriel, Gillotte, Grebe, Gronowski, Hollon, Lehnen, Long, Majors, Milroe, Woodard)

• 5 school record holders (Coury, Dart, Gabriel, Lehnen, Long)

• 3 members of national championship teams (Gronowski, Lehnen, McLaughlin)

• 9 members of conference championship teams (Coury, Grebe, Gronowski, Hollon, Lehnen, Long, Majors, McLaughlin, Milroe)

• 16 members of postseason teams (College Football Playoff – Kiser, Majors, McLaughlin, Milroe; FBS Bowl Games – Brooks, Dart, Freyler, Gabriel, Gillotte, Kiser, Majors, McLaughlin, Milroe, Woodard; FCS Playoffs – Grebe, Gronowski; Celebration Bowl – Hollon; Division II Playoffs – Long; Division III Playoffs – Lehnen; ECAC Asa S. Bushnell Bowl – Coury)

• 12 members of currently ranked teams (Coury, Dart, Freyler, Gabriel, Grebe, Gronowski, Kiser, Lehnen, Long, Majors, McLaughlin, Milroe)

• 9 members of teams currently ranked in the Top 10 (Freyler, Gabriel, Grebe, Gronowski, Lehnen, Long, Majors, McLaughlin, Milroe), including three members of No. 1-ranked teams (Gronowski—FCS, Lehnen—Division III, Majors—FBS)

• 4 players who are their school’s first NFF National Scholar-Athlete (Gillotte, Hollon, Lehnen, Woodard)

• 4 transfer players (Dart—previously at USC; Gabriel—previously at Oklahoma and UCF; McLaughlin—previously at Alabama; Woodard—previously at Arkansas).

• 2 schools with back-to-back honorees (Notre Dame—JD Bertrand, 2023; Oregon—Bo Nix, 2023).

• 9 Offensive Players (Brooks, Dart, Gabriel, Gronowski, Lehnen, Long, Majors, McLaughlin, Milroe)

• 7 Defensive Players (Coury, Freyler, Gillotte, Grebe, Hollon, Kiser, Woodard)