Shedeur Sanders’ fluctuating NFL Draft stock was a regular topic for most of the offseason. Jaxson Dart’s landing spot wasn’t any easier to figure out.
But Dart ended up going ahead of Sanders as the second quarterback off the board on Thursday night.
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The New York Giants, who drafted defensive end Abdul Carter with the third overall pick, traded back into the first round and took Dart. The Giants moved up to the 25th overall pick, trading the Houston Texans a second-round pick (No. 34 overall), a third-round pick (No. 99 overall) and a 2026 third-round pick. That gives the Giants a quarterback of the future while Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston keep the seat warm this season, assuming Dart doesn’t start in Week 1.
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The Giants had a huge need at quarterback, didn’t take one with the third pick and still ended up getting a quarterback they clearly see as a potential starter for years to come.
The Ole Miss quarterback, who threw for 4,279 yards and 29 touchdowns last season, wasn’t viewed as a surefire first-round pick when the offseason began, but started to get buzz starting with the Senior Bowl. He was in some mock drafts as high as No. 9 overall, and out of the first round in others.
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The appeal to Dart was his physical talent. He is 6-foot-2 and 223 pounds with a good arm and athleticism. The questions on him were tied to his ability to translate to the NFL and a pro-style offense after not having to make many complicated reads at Ole Miss. There was a lot of projection involved in Dart’s profile. Landing with the Giants, who likely won’t start him right away, should help with his development.
Dart said he modeled his game after Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles.
“I think it’s a little bit of a cop-out because he just won the Super Bowl, but I love J Hurts and what he does,” Dart said at the NFL scouting combine. “I feel like I’m very similar in my play style to him. I feel like we can do a lot of the same things.”
Dart has a long way to go to reach Hurts’ level in the NFL. But his potential is tantalizing. That’s a reason the Giants jumped the line to get him in the first round. It’s also a reason Dart was picked ahead of Sanders.
