The Giants traded back into the first round in a deal with the Houston Texans to draft their quarterback of the future Jaxson Dart with the No. 25 overall pick.
By The Numbers
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 223 pounds
40-Yard Dash: N/A (Did not work out at NFL Combine or Pro Day)
Vertical: N/A
Bench: N/A
Broad Jump: DNP
2024 Stats (13 games started): 69 percent completion rate, 4,279 yards, 29 touchdowns, six interceptions, 495 rushing yards with three touchdowns
Prospect Overview
NFL.com: Three-year SEC starter who saw improvement in play and production season after season. Dart has a stocky build and average physical attributes but good makeup and intangibles. He’s fairly accurate and rarely overcomplicates things for himself. He won’t strike anyone as a running quarterback, but he can find tough yards on the ground. Teams might see physical and play similarities between Dart and Brock Purdy but such a pathway for Dart likely requires a balanced, ball-control passing attack that allows him to manage the game instead of driving it.
Bleacher Report: Jaxson Dart has a good physical skill set to be an effective starting quarterback. His ability to change up the speeds of his passes will translate well to the league. He is more than willing to take the check down underneath. Dart's ability to pick up an NFL offense will determine how early he sees the field and the success that comes with it.
Why Jaxson Dart makes sense for the Giants
The Giants have plenty of room for improvement at most positions, but quarterback is the most important position in football, if not in any sport, and the Giants currently don't have a long term answer at that spot. Sure, Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston are serviceable veterans and perhaps the Giants can find lightning in a bottle with one of them for a year or two. But if New York came out of this draft without taking a quarterback they believe they can develop into a starter, it would've been considered a failure.
The Ole Miss product is a compelling option for Joe Schoen and company. At 6-foot-2, 223 pounds, Dart might not wow anyone with his physical traits, but he's got the intangibles and instincts to play the position. And while he's not necessarily a runner, he can make things happen with his legs when needed. And pairing him with a veteran like Wilson, who is undersized but has made the most of his career with anticipatory throws and making plays off-schedule, could be exactly what Dart needs to take his game to the next level.
Connor's Take
The Giants didn't want to reach for a quarterback, force it. That's why they went with Abdul Carter third overall. He was the best player on their board, by far, so they took him. They knew they needed a future at quarterback, though. So once cost matched value, they moved back up into the first round and selected Jaxson Dart.
This was not a great quarterback class. Beauty really is in the eye of the beholder. Dart has desirable traits. High character, team leader. He has an impressive arm. The biggest issue is that he played in an offense that didn't ask him to do much. He needs time to develop. The Giants can give him that as he sits and learns behind Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston.
NFL Comparison
NFL.com: Gardner Minshew