The New York Giants went on a lengthy search for their next franchise quarterback this offseason. Ultimately, they landed on Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart, whom they traded up to select with the No. 25 overall pick.
The selection came as a bit of a surprise for some, as Dart was initially projected as a Day 2 prospect. However, the Giants had a conviction in the Rebels product after Dart “dominated” the pre-draft process and convinced the team that he has what it takes to be a franchise signal-caller.
Jaxson Dart stole the show during the Giants’ pre-draft process
The Giants have earned a reputation over the last couple of offseasons for being notoriously hard on quarterback prospects during the pre-draft process. They put the quarterbacks’ skills to the test, testing their physical abilities, their mental abilities, and their leadership qualities.
During this process, Dart really began to stand out for the G-Men.
“Dominated the entire process with us,” general manager Joe Schoen told Dart in their phone conversation after he was selected (h/t Jordan Raanan).
Dart was head coach Brian Daboll’s “quarterback of choice,” per Raanan and ESPN.
“I think he’s got a lot of qualities you look for in a good quarterback,” Daboll said of Dart. Daboll earned his reputation as one of the league’s best quarterback developers during his time as the offensive coordinator of the Buffalo Bills from 2018 to 2021, where he helped turn Josh Allen into one of the best players in the NFL.
Daboll praised Dart’s “natural leadership qualities” — a trait that was essential in Allen’s growth.
Dart has franchise quarterback potential
As far as production goes, Dart checks all the boxes. He played and dominated in the SEC — college football’s toughest conference. In 2024, Dart led the conference in completion rate (69.3%) and passing yards (4,279) while also adding a 29-6 TD-INT ratio.
While there are questions about Dart’s ability to process and handle an NFL offense, there were few questions about his raw talent.
But pairing that raw talent with incredible leadership skills made Dart the most attractive quarterback option in the class for the Giants.
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