Jaxson Dart will have a significant veteran presence to lean on as he begins his journey as the New York Giants’ potential franchise quarterback.
General manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll traded back up into the first round, snagging the Houston Texans’ No. 25 pick to take the Ole Miss passer after selecting Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter with the No. 3 overall pick.
The 21-year-old is coming off a big year with the Rebels, completing 69.3% of his passes for 4,279 yards, 29 touchdowns, and six interceptions before putting together a pre-draft showcase that won over the Giants from drafting other notable quarterbacks available like Shedeur Sanders and Jalen Milroe.
“It’s special,” Dart said. “Them being able to have that belief in me, I think as a competitor you have that belief in yourself, so when you’re able to be a part of an organization that sees it the same way, it’s special, and I think that they have an amazing plan lined up for me in the development program and then being able to learn from the vets that are ahead of me is going to be great.”
He joins a quarterback room topped by veterans Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, both of whom were signed in free agency by Schoen just last month. Wilson, who won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks and is a 10-time Pro Bowler, has already been named the starter. Winston has spent a decade in the NFL and led the league in passing in 2019 while with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
It means he will spend his first year in the NFL working under two established arms that will help show him the ropes in the pros.
“I think it’s just a great opportunity for me to learn,” Dart said. “They’ve played at the highest level, won Super Bowls. I remember as a little kid, I was watching Russ play, and I actually have a jersey of him when he was with the Seahawks. It’s a surreal experience to be able to play here and play with those great guys. Such an elite caliber, and I’m just really prepared to take it day by day and try to improve myself and learn from them as much as I can.”
Dart will also have a chance to learn from one of the greatest quarterbacks in franchise history, Eli Manning — a fellow Ole Miss product — who currently works for the team in a business operations and fan engagement role.
The two-time Super Bowl winner, who is the Giants’ all-time leader in wins, completions, yards, and touchdowns, was one of the first people to contact Dart after Big Blue drafted him. The two will have more in-depth conversations soon.
“I think I would be kind of a fool not to [learn from Manning],” Dart said. “Really any questions that I have, I think he’s a great person to rely on and kind of lean on. He’s been here, played at the highest level, won Super Bowls, and for me, I want to chase greatness just like he did. So, I think when you’re able to pick the brain of a future first-ballot Hall of Famer, you’d be a fool not to.
